martini manuscripts

The Maloney Minute

2008-06-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

As many of you recall, my grandmother passed away on April 25th. It was with difficulty,but understanding that it was her time to go. I was not there for her passing. I received the news on returning home Friday evening. On the following day I was down at Molly's waiting for Seth ( my youngest ) to finish his shift as " the dancing leprechaun". ( yes a blog in itself ). I was sitting outside on the deck of the restaurant visiting with some friends who had arrived to see me and share their condolences. Seth soon joined us and it was just minutes after his arrival on the deck that another young child made a commotion about a bird that had just landed along the deck rail. We all turned to look in the direction of the child's excitement when I nearly fell out of my chair. The bird that landed on the deck was no ordinary bird...he was a peach faced love parrot. The very same bird my grandparent's had owned while I was growing up. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. He flew from the deck to the roof of the building. We walked out to the front in an attempt to call him to come to us. He appeared as though he would fly to our extended hands a few times, but each and every time he would come close and then fly elsewhere. After a while of attempting to get him...we had given up. There was no way any of us were going to be able to catch him. I headed inside the restaurant to pay out our tab. Just as I was about to head out the door, Seth William wandered in and in his clutched hands was that bird! How in the world did you do it Seth? Seth said the bird had flown to some bushes and he just reached in there and grabbed him. We quickly found a box to put him in and then headed to the store for bird food and supplies. A call to the house to ask my husband if he could possibly locate our old bird cage and the next thing I knew...he was on his way to Walmart to go buy one. Don't buy anything elaborate I told him...the bird is not ours and I am certain someone will claim him. I phoned my mother to tell her that she was not going to believe what I had in my possession. She literally teared up immediately. She told me that she had asked her mother to send a sign that she was happy and well and had found herself with Daddy again. So to my mother, this was no coincidence this was the sign she had requested. I put ads on websites advertising the found bird. I truly expected to find his owner. Everyone told me it was in vain as they also believed this was a gift from my grandmother. A dear friend of mine responded to the story with the following wisdom," Seth didn't catch a bird, he caught an angel".
After a week or so I was believing that a name was in order as the short term visitor was becoming a long term resident. Sitting in his small cage on my desk I was deep in thought just watching him. I must admit I wondered why Gram's would have sent a bird to me other then the obvious reason that I would know for a fact that her hands were involved in this arrival. Then it came to me that the bird was here for another purpose. I believe that Gram's was nudging me just a bit more...the bird was ( is ) a sign to me that it was time for me to spread my own wings and give flight to dreams I had been holding inward. It was time for me to launch in a new direction. Immediately I turned to the computer and checked for the following domain name, wingstosoarproductions.com. Yes it was available...so I bought it. It is all a part of the new master plan. The very next thing...my dreams were given a name, now to name the bird. It only took a moment and I knew the perfect name for him. My grandmother's maiden name was Milone. The restaurant where the bird landed is named Molly Malones. And so the name Maloney was chosen. The following weekend, we headed to the pet store and invested in what we affectionately refer to as Maloney's High-Rise Condo. Spacious, nicely decorated and located in a perfect spot for him to keep watch over the comings and goings of the family, while also having a nice view to the outside. Maloney seems quite content and happy. He is not only a new member of the family, but a constant reminder to me of the possibilities that lie ahead. It is with that thought process that I developed the Maloney Minute. The Maloney Minute is now a feature on my monthly e-zine. It will continue to be a spot to share highlights from the journey. I hope he encourages other's journey's as well.

A Fond Farewell to a Fabulous Woman

2008-04-30T17:19:00.000-07:00

April 25th, 2008. The sky will shine a bit brighter from here on in as a new star marks the night sky. Wishing you a safe journey Grams. I know we'll meet again and boy will we have some stories to share. I will miss you, but know that your life goes on through my memories and the memories of all whom you touched with your love, your laughter and your kindness. Now you are free to fly...
I heard this song the day you passed...I wasn't quite certain but felt as though you were with the angels as I drove and listened and said a prayer.
"In the arms of an angel, Fly away from here. From this dark cold hotel room, And the endlessness that you fear. You are pulled from the wreckage, Of your silent reverie.You're in the arms of the angel, May you find some comfort there.You're in the arms of the angel, May you find some comfort here.
Give Grandpa a kiss and hug from me. Miss you both and thank you for being such an inspiring part of my life.
xoxo

This One Is For My Grams...Blessed Journey...

2008-04-24T17:03:00.000-07:00

Gosh...I just checked the date of my last blog and I can't believe that much time has passed again since I settled in. Shame on me! I spend so much time blogging for business, that I forget to take the time to BLOG for me and for you. Yes...I occasionally hear from someone telling me...I've been looking for new material...where have you been? Well, I have new material only its not my usual light hearted ranting and raving that I prefer. This is something I wrote over a week ago to my friends asking them for their support and prayers. I received numerous comments back...a few were more then special. My dear friend Nanette said it brought back memories of her own Grandmother Rose...My friend Cathy said it reminded her of a painting she once saw where a rose bush had grown through a brick wall and there on the other side it blossomed just as beautifully. Numerous friends commented that they cried when they read my words. I never meant for my request to cause tears, but apparently they were not just tears of sadness, but tears mixed with joy of memories long forgotten and for just a tiny moment...all of the readers were reunited with their special grandmas as if time stood still. I saw a friend the other evening who asked me how Grams was doing. She too told me she cried when she read my mail. She was so touched by what I had written and I said, you know...when I wrote it, the words just flowed and I couldn't believe how many ways that woman had impacted my life. It will be hard to say the final goodbye...but I am a big believer that this is just one part of a long journey and we will meet again....and here is my email...

Good Morning All; ( well it was morning when I started) I hope this email finds everyone well. I had a call from my Mom this morning. The hospice nurse doesn't predict that my grandmother will live through the weekend. My mother was shocked because she was just with her a couple of days ago and all seemed fine. My grandmother is in her 90's and has lived a good, long life. In fact...too long...she has had no quality of life for some time now and I have often prayed that God would take her. I have to admit that although I know this would be a blessing...my heart aches for my Mom and even though I have prayed for my grandmother to pass peacefully, the finality of it all is a bit difficult to grasp. So I ask that you just say a small prayer that God take her gently and wish her a safe journey. My Grandmother in her hey day was a fabulous woman...a true diva....she loved the life she lived secure and happy in the lifestyle my grandfather worked hard to establish and provide for her. I am told often that I am too much like her...she and my mother sure could butt heads...but I learned so many things from her and it really was her belief that it was okay to be spoiled...and I agreed with her. Bill on the other hand, nixed that belief right away when he sat me down and gave me the real life lessons I needed to learn...spoil sport! ha! No wonder Grams didn't care too much for him in the beginning. ha! She was a " lady " in the truest sense. She was the first one to teach me how to cook...( scrambled eggs were my speciality), she literally had me walk with books on my head up and down the long winding path of her garden walk so that I would have good posture ( failed that one ). She taught me how to enter and exit a car when dressed in a skirt and how to properly set a table with more silverware then you would ever use, but you had better know what each one of them was for. Elbows were not allowed on the table, your napkin was always on your lap and yes, you did extend your pinky. There was no such thing as too many shoes and heels were not an option...they were a necessity. Once when I had a hair appointment scheduled and the car wouldn't start...she phoned a taxi...a girl never missed her day at the salon. Gram's went faithfully every week and her hair and nails were always immaculate. She taught me to make a bed with hospital corners and is the reason behind my love of lysol. It occurred to me not too long ago that her breed is nearly gone away...I know of few women who aspire to be nothing more then a wife and a mother, but to Grams it was the most important job in the world and one she wouldn't have traded. It was as important if not more important then any CEO's. She had the patience of a Saint and I can still remember the goose bumps I would get when she took the time to gently brush my oh so naturally curly hair being careful to not once let the brush tug a tangle. Unlike my mom who would bop me on the back of the head for wiggling around too much. She taught me how to waltz, cha-cha and commit every horrible move of the chicken dance and alley cat so that I was primed and ready for every Italian wedding. She never once cursed when we were growing up ( she eventually did in much older age and could let one rip at times causing you to nearly burst out laughing). Her famous sayings when angry were..." Oh Sugar! " and " never mind the hooey!" We ( her 6 close knit grandchildren) never could figure out what the hooey was...but we tried diligently to never mind it. Her home was always magical...it was huge and beautiful. Many a day was spent running through the massive sprinklers scattered all through her yard...even though we had a built in pool in our own backyard there was something about those sprinklers. And when we tired from running through them...she would bundle each of us in a towel and feed us fruit or fix us chocolate milk that we would enjoy out on the patio. You didn't however sit on the concrete stairs without getting a piece of newspaper from the tool shed first. Sitting on concrete was a major no-no...you'd get hemorrhoids she would always warn. I can't tell you how many times I packed my bag to " run away " from my mean, horrible mother. Grams would take me in and spend time talking to me about how wonderful my mother was ( and still is ) and that I should go home and apologize for whatever I had done wrong. This was always accompanied by a cold glass of milk and some Italian cookies. She would later laugh that each time I "ran away " I packed the same thing...just a bunch of underwear...never any clothes. Grams forever insisted that it was just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as a poor one ( failed that lesson too)...and the two greatest pieces of advice she ever offered were, #1. Never accuse your husband of doing something wrong on a business trip. If you carried on and on accusing him of doing something far from home...he would. She said a man's beliefs were simple...if they were getting in trouble for something they weren't doing...they might as well get in trouble for doing it. The second piece of advice was the most important organ of a man that needed constant stroking...his EGO. I can still remember the uneasiness I felt as Gram's offered me this advice when I became engaged...no one wants to have a " sex" talk with their grandmother...and that's where I thought we were headed. My grandfather died in their bed some 29 years ago and to this day I can recall every detail as if it were yesterday. I could see their house from my bedroom window...it was far enough away that I would need binoculars to get a good peak and many a night right before going to bed I would phone them to tell them I was looking for them to wave good night. There would be my grandparent's looking back at me with their binoculars that they kept by the kitchen window for our nightly ritual. We did this so many times and yet they still made the goofy faces and blowing kisses as if it was the first time. Gram's always had her silly rubber gloves on as she would be tidying up the kitchen...so I would get a pink or yellow gloved wave. And every morning on our walk to school, there she would be in the kitchen window again...her hair wrapped up in her " genie " turban with strips of pink hair tape securing the edges. A big smile on her face...a cup of coffee in one hand and the other hand waving and motioning the blowing of kisses again...you would have thought we were going off to war...not school. There wasn't anything that we could do wrong...even in trouble we had our good points. That poor woman came to my teenage defense more times then I can recall and even in my strongest of rebel times...she adored me. Once while coming to see me at a school play...as part of my character I had to sing a solo and at the end of it I had to light a cigarette ( wow have times changed ). I did just as I was suppose to and the entire theater was quiet except for my grandmother's voice yelling," Oh Gina...NOOOOO!" I can't believe how many memories have flooded my thoughts this morning with the realization that she will soon be gone for good. The last time I saw her, she didn't recognize me at all. She smiled politely, but she was obviously unaware of who I was. At a loss for what to do, I reached in to my wallet and pulled out a photo of my brother, sister and I taken when we were probably 3 and 2 years old...you should have seen the smile come on her face and the light that hit her eyes...my sister said do you know who that is...and she said those our my children...That's my Gina. For just a few moments she was a young grandmother and we were small children and she was happy. Then just like that...she closed her eyes with a smile on her face as if back enjoying memories of her own. I often wonder where her mind has been these past few years? I'm sorry I rambled on like that...thank you for sharing my story. Life is so strange and unpredictable...I found out the other night that a dear friend has been diagnosed with cancer...again. This will be his 3rd time after having almost reached the 5 year mark for remission. A not so gentle reminder that none of us knows what lies ahead or how many tomorrows are left...making today all the more important. Life without regrets...hope you are living one. I know I will.

At the posting of this blog, Dear Old Gram's...well, she's just hanging in there. I must admit, I've laughed to myself a few times about this. Gram's was ALWAYS fashionably late! You Go Grams!

Living My Dash

2008-02-28T09:48:00.000-08:00

Are you all familiar with the term...living the dash? It is based on a poem a woman wrote when she was told about a friend who was dealing with cancer. It basically speaks about the dash that is present on a tomb stone. That one little symbol is the representation of what occurred in someones life from birth to death. She goes on to write...what would your dash say about you? I recently stumbled across that poem again in an odd way. I was at the hair salon and was talking with the girl who was doing my hair. She is not my regular stylist, but she has the chair right next to hers and so we have chatted numerous times in the past. On this particular day with me in her chair, we got in to a conversation about how life unveils itself and the ability to recognize what we would initially think coincidences to actually be opportunities and how we either brush them aside or recognize them as something we should be embracing. We some how got on the discussion about the dash poem and lo' and behold, my stylist told me that the woman who wrote that poem is a client of hers. What a small world it is indeed...and although the initial reason for us getting on the conversation in the first place was of no great significance, by the time I left her chair the significance of the conversation was life altering.
I am a firm believer that God some times send angels to tell us what we are needing to be told. I left that salon appointment with a renewed sense of urgency to finally do something that I had been holding off on. That coupled with my bouncing and behaving do...uplifted my spirits so much. I eventually got home and went right to work revisiting my list of to-do's and questioning my hesitancy to launch in certain areas. Immediately I was greeted with further events that elevated my beliefs. Brief conversations here and there with numerous people all feeding the message of having faith in what you can do and knowing that you can be successful. Today I am spending the day working on my launch. I am living my dash...I don't want my dash to represent lost opportunities or half done projects...I want it to represent my ever steady need to be more, to try more to grow more. Will I be capable of doing it all...probably not. There is such a learning curve ahead...but as I have said numerous times before, I would rather fail while trying then fail by never trying. And so I ask you my dodies...are you living your dash? Stay tuned...this dash is getting ready to launch a whole new episode.

WHAT IS A DODIE????

2008-01-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

My daughter actually sat and read some of my blogs last night and in between laughter and criticisms ( she is after all my daughter and we all know how our offspring can be our harshest critics ) she said what's a Dodie? I said it was a shortened term that meant Diva Roadies...Oh...You have a fan club she asked??? Well yes...only it's not my fan club in the sense that you would term it...I have a group of women who I am a fan of. Puzzled, she said...I don't quite follow your thoughts here.
Dodies started as a fun term to describe those women who I jokingly referred to as repeat offenders...they show up monthly for my wine and design seminars. The term stuck and soon they started referring to themselves proudly as Dodies to women who were dewbies ( diva newbies ). Dewbies then aspired to become Dodies and the list has grown and so has the comraderie and laughter. And do I look at these women as my fans? No...these are women that I am fans of because they have given so much more to me then what I have ever given to them. Truly, I learn as much from them and receive such support and encouragement that I am often times humbled to have them in my life. They are like proud sisters who applaud my efforts and encourage my growth. My successes are our successes as they were there in the beginning and they continue to be there in the moment for me. Together we encourage and cheer on one an other's journeys. I will run in to them in the grocery store or receive an email from one expressing with such joy and excitement of something they have just done be it moving their furniture around in their family room after being encouraged to do so after a furniture placement seminar or made a decision to do something entirely different with their lives because of learning something intimate about their personality from a color seminar. These are the the moments that give me the greatest pleasure...when I realize that what someone has experienced was the okay and permission to do something out of their comfort zone. I know how powerful that moment can be as someone once did that for me without even knowing it. They gave wind to my wings and allowed me to know that I could do these things, that my thoughts and dreams were not in some far off out of reach spot, but just within my grasp if only I would release them and follow them. From that point on there's been no stopping me. Have they all been successes? YES...every one of them has been a success...because success comes from taking the chance to allow for failure. It releases the woulda, shoulda, coulda obstacles and makes room for new allowances, new endeavors, new dreams... new possibilities!
So yes, I have a fan club...and I am a proud card carrying member!
My mother once told me the following when I was at that pinnacle age of 14 or 15 and worried continuously about what others thought and tried so hard to be someone or something that I really wasn't meant to be in order to maintain or impress a " friend "... At the end of your life when you look back and think about those people who were really true friends, you will find that you may only be able to do that on one hand and still have finger's left to count. True friends she said were not so easy to find...you would be lucky to have had 2 or 3. Well, I hopefully still have a lot of living left to do, but at this point if I had to count those people in my life that I can honestly say are true friends, I do believe I would use both hands and quite a few toes. I really have been that blessed! These are people who would do anything for me and if I didn't want to offer them an explanation for why I needed it done, they wouldn't ask. They would just do it because that's what true friends do.
One of my favorite descriptions of what a true friend is was written on a sign I read. A good friend is someone you can call on to bail you out of jail, a best friend will be sitting along side you saying God, that was a good time!!! I have such great friends in my life and often times when we are out sharing good times one of them will comment...you know...you're going straight to you know where for that thought or comment...to which I can happily look around the table and say...well, at least I know I'll have lots of good company!!!
Thank you to all the Dodies in my life...better yet, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives...Pinkies UP!!!

Do You Google Yourself???

2008-01-08T08:37:00.001-08:00

Wow! I'm back already!!! How's that for inspiration??? I am really trying hard to make this a part of my new year intentions...to spend more time on my martini manuscripts.
So today's burning question...Do you google yourself??? Sounds almost illegal doesn't it? I will never forget the first time someone asked me that...or the first time someone asked me if I had a blog. A blog...I blushed... that's a highly personal question I thought. After all...I thought it was some kind of blockage of a personal organ. My knowledge of all things technical is very limited and those who know me have often heard me say that I am an 8-track player faking it in an I-pod world. For all I know...I-pods are so yesterday now. The other night my daughter sat on the couch and with just a few clicks on her newest toy...a blackberry I believe it is, she had an overhead view of our house from the far outer reaches of space! Bam! What do you think of that she exclaimed as she stretched her handheld device towards my face. Oh great...my house can be seen with that kind of clarity from the unknown reaches of the universe? And all I thought I had to worry about was if the HOA police did a drive by and noticed my dying pansies in the planter by my front door...oh no...now they can be mocked by NATO or the Russian Space Agency or worse yet...Martha Stewart who has nothing better to do ( including sleeping ) in the wee hours of the evening if she too has the capabilities to reach out and spy someone.
I guess I had better catch up to all that is going on around me and quickly!!! Here I thought I was doing so well...after all...yes, I do google myself and quite often. I find it very entertaining or usually do on most days. The other night however I had a horrific google experience. There I was...innocently reading where I had been and counting up all the listings I was now associated with. For someone who doesn't know how to get there, I sure have been getting around. I was on to the third page when another google listing caught my attention. A woman by my same name was listed as a model in N. Carolina. Hmmmm, this is interesting...someone with my very same name is a model. Wow! How fun! So I gleefully clicked on " the other Gina McNew "...this should be interesting I thought. Interesting...well that was what I was hoping for...mortifying was more like it. The other me was not the model I had pictured in my mind...no....I was expecting some girl next door, bright smiling, attractive someone and what I got was reason to spit out my chardonnay all over my keyboard. I will spare you the less then attractive details but I was speechless!!! I felt the blood rush from my face from having been so completely wrong in my preconceived thoughts. Then...just like that, I burst out laughing. That's what I get for googling myself I thought...and my laughter turned to tears streaming down my face and the need to quickly include my yaya's in my funny drama. I forwarded it to them but was kind enough to include a warning on the subject line that what they were about to see was scary and to prepare themselves. Didn't want to be the cause of any more drinking accidents...after all a chardonnay is a horrible thing to waste. Of course they wrote me back immediately and asked me what I was going to do. Do??? There's nothing I can do...she has as much right to be googled as I do and so we were connected by name and technology whether I liked it or not. Then I laughed out loud again and replied...guess you know where this is going to go...that's right...when life hands you a deal like this...BLOG AWAY!
And so now I share with you my newest little ditty....read along to the rhythm of Mary had a Little Lamb....

Gina McNew has lost her boobs
but knows just where they'll be found
A google search
on a chair where they're perched
And inches from touching the ground!

No offense or harm meant to the other me...but please, for the sake of the children...get some clothes on lady!!!
So my dodies...lesson for today...google cautiously, blog frequently, laugh loudly!
Pinkies out!!!

Cheers and Happy New Year Friends...What a Year Its Been!!!

2008-01-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Dodies;

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and that the new year is already off to a fabulous start. It was looking bleak there for me for a little while. Those of you who read my previous post know that I had made it my mantra that no matter what...I would remain positive, patient and poised in good holiday cheer if it killed me. Gratefully I am happy to report that I managed it all. Oh...I had my moments of self doubt...I may have had to hit the egg nog a couple of times to adjust the attitude, but the bottom line is I did it and am proud to be able to share that. Not only did the holidays come together as needed, but I experienced the magic of the season in so many ways that this will long be a holiday I will remember and reflect on with a happy heart. I love the miracles of the holidays and I experienced so many. In fact, one of those miracles is getting a little coaching from me at the moment. Many of you know that right after Thanksgiving my family had to say goodbye to our beloved boxer Sydney. This was truly one of the saddest, darkest moments of my life. Fortunately we still had the love of our baby Bella Meeshka my lil' chihuahua. ( alright " little " is a bit of a stretch...in fact...everything about Bella is a bit of a stretch. Large and lovely would be more appropriate a description ). I vowed that Bella would remain supreme as our one an only and would reign as queen bee ( alright queen sized bee )...and my heart would bare forever a paw print impression from Sydney.

On this one particular day...December 21 to be exact, I had started my day at the radio station where I was thrilled to be interviewing Stephanie McWilliams, host of HGTV'S Fun Shui. I was so lifted by Stephanie's interview. She is such an amazingly inspiring, positive life force. We instantly bonded upon my having spoken to her about coming on the show and now I am pleased to be able to say I have a new, life long friend of that I'm sure. We had a wonderful time together on that one hour show and I left the station in such a great frame of mind even though the day that still laid ahead was going to be filled with what I had already determined was going to be a nightmare on retail street. Here it was the final Friday before Christmas and I was no where near done with my shopping...that's actually an understatement, I was no where near started with my holiday shopping. I had to battle through the Friday traffic on I-75 through Atlanta which is a chore regardless of the time of the year and when I finally broke free by way of the exit ramp...I was headed to the mall. Can I just tell you all that this is where all those little miracles of the holiday showed up. Every where I went this year ( even though it was all done in the last moment) I found upfront parking and nothing but truly courteous people be it my fellow shoppers or retail employees. Everyone had a smile on their face. I happily put my money into the bucket of the bell ringer...a positive sight indeed...and she graciously opened the door for me while sharing a happy holiday blessing. I walked in to that mall and didn't stand in line for anything...not one time. I filled up my arms with presents galore and although my body ached...the shopping in heels thing again...I felt calm, serene and filled with good chi. I got in to my car, turned up the holiday tunes and pulled on out of the mall parking lot to find that I wasn't going to be going anywhere in a hurry. That was okay with me however. Then it happened. I had crawled just far along on my journey that I had reached a stop light at an intersection where a pet store was. Something in my head told me to direct my car in to the turn lane. After all...traffic wasn't going to be moving very fast...I could take a few moments out to feel the love of looking at puppies. I don't know what made me do it, but I did it and soon I was walking in to that pet store that I vowed I would never enter again. I passed by the windows of precious, playful piles of fluff. Each little window a vision of ewws and ahhs. At the absolute last window I peaked in and there before me were two boxer puppies. Happily playing with one another they both stopped to give me a glance and so I bent down to be at eye level with them. Of course a smile came to my face at the sight of these beautiful beings. The female in particular got my instant attention as her face was the spitting image of Sydney's except for the tiniest little white mark above her nose. Everything else about her face however was Sydney's. My heart melted. I just stood there for the longest time exchanging smiles with them. An older couple came along side me and started a conversation with me about the dogs. Are you going to be buying a dog today they asked? Oh No!!! I was just stuck in traffic and thought to come in and just enjoy the sight of the puppies and unwind a bit I told them. Are you going to be buying a puppy today I asked...oh no...they were just killing time waiting for a movie at the local theater to start. They were a lovely couple and we struck up the nicest conversation about past pets and I shared my story of Sydney. It was at about that time that the sales rep walked over and asked if I wanted to meet any of the dogs. I thanked him, but declined and then he and I talked about Sydney. I even showed him a photo I had of her. He genuinely looked touched by my story and said that if I wanted one of those boxers, he was certain the store owner would give me a great deal due to what had happened. I thanked him and was about to leave, but then he asked me just one more time...are you sure you don't want to meet the dogs? He said...I'll have to check however because I'm fairly sure one is already spoken for and is just waiting to be picked up on Christmas Eve. Right then and there I knew that the girl I would have wanted ( they were a brother and sister pair ) was probably already spoken for and I'll admit my heart sunk. He peaked behind a door and then said it's the male one that is adopted...if you would like to meet the female...to which I thought...okay...but we're just meeting and then I'm going home. Next thing I knew she and I were on the floor of the puppy visiting area and she crawled in to my lap and immediately went to making herself at home. As this occurred the wonderful couple I had been speaking with showed up in the puppy visiting room right next to ours and there they bonded with the most beautiful little lab...the whole time we kept telling one another...we're just visiting. Just visiting...honestly...I really believed that and was getting ready to say my goodbye to my new little friend when my cellphone rang. It was my husband. He asked me where I was and what I was doing and I told him...you're not going to believe it when I tell you. So I told him, but I assured him I was leaving right then. He was leaving his job which is only about 10 minutes from the pet store and he said well why don't you wait there and I'll meet you. Long story short...he arrived, and the 3 of us left for home about an hour later. Without a word to our children, we showed up with our new family member. Immediately " Holly " entered this house as though she had always lived here. No crazy sniffing all around, no shyness of being in new surroundings...no...it was just like I said...it was as if she knew that she was home. The house immediately began to feel right again. Since Sydney had left it just wasn't the same...but now it was once again complete and in a matter of about 30 minutes Bella and her new sister were sound asleep side by side on the dog bed. This was going to be a great holiday. It was a great holiday...everything about it...the gifts, the family interaction, the weather, the laughter, the family meals...everything...just perfect. I am now very busy trying to house train our newest member and have come to realize that the better name for her would have been Prancer as she prances all over the place and can not be easily confined as she is a little Houdini...but the one place she won't escape from is our hearts. She is firmly locked in along side the memory of Sydney. Sydney would have loved her as well. My only hope is that she will grow to be as magnificent an animal as Sydney was with her own special personality. She's not a replacement by any means...just a wonderful, loving addition.

As I said goodbye to 2007 I realized it was filled with so many amazing blessings...some that I should find time to share in my next blogging moment. 2008 is already filling with new blessings and promises for a year that will be another wonderful journey. I am excited, I am wishful, I am grateful....I wish all the same to all of you....thanks for being a part of my past and thanks for being a part of my future. Pinkies Up!!!

NOT TODAY GRANDMA!!!

2007-12-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

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

2007-09-15T19:38:00.000-07:00

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...

2007-06-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

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...

2007-05-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

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.