Category Archives: life

Oh Noz…It’s Shiny Object Syndrome

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Did you know that there’s such a thing as Shiny Object Syndrome?

Have you ever had one of those days where you know you have work to do, you’re trying to get something done (oh, I don’t know, like a newsletter or a blog post…let’s just say), but you find your attention being pulled in 20 different directions?

Did you know there’s actually a name for that?  It’s called Shiny Object Syndrome.  And boy howdy do I seem to have it this week!

You see, it’s not quite ADD or ADHD where you can’t focus on anything longer than for a few moments.  It’s more like while you’re trying to focus on a particular task, your mind gets pulled into another direction and then another.  It becomes really frustrating when you have something that really needs to get done.

I’m set up for jury duty next week so I’m trying to get ahead on things like blog posts, newsletter articles and status updates and tweets for my business.  But somehow, instead of focusing on the tasks at hand, I’m out there thinking about a whole bunch of other, non-business, non-task oriented things…

  • How the dog needs to be groomed and will that help to finally get the fleas and his itching under control?
  • What are we going to do my husband’s upcoming birthday and when will I have time to buy his gift and should I wrap it and does that really matter?
  • What should I get the little nephews for their birthdays and is there an easy and inexpensive way to get them something?  What do little boys even want?
  • Where is that book I wanted to give to my friend for part of her baby gift?  If I can’t find it what do I get instead?
  • Why did I donate all those baby gifts last year thinking that all my friends were done having babies?
  • When will I have time to get all these gifts?  Is it possible to buy everything at one store?  Target maybe?
  • Can you believe it’s birthday season already?  From this week through the next 4 months I’ll have over 10 gifts to buy for family…yikes!
  • What can I do to do to get the garden in better shape and with all this rain, when will I have the time to do that?
  • Will the Square Foot Gardening class still be going on in the rain this weekend?
  • Will ordering some worms be enough to salvage the dirt, or will I need to do more?
  • What am I going to wear tonight to the Sassy City Fashion Bash and will it rain and how will that affect what I’m going to wear?
  • what’s for dinner and when am I going to get around to washing the sink full of dishes if I have work to do today and somewhere to go tonight?

Oh Lordy!

Hopefully now that I’ve gotten all these raging questions out of my head I’ll be able to get back to work on the 3 other articles I’d like to write today before heading out.

Feeling Kinda Zen and Groovy

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Well, not exactly. Truth be told, I’m feeling a little pain for yesterday’s Zen yoga experience…but still good.

I’ve come to the realization that I’ve been so focused on work and reaching clients, that I’ve been spending far too much time slumped over my desk. Which means more and more creakiness when getting out of (and sadly, sometimes into) bed.

So I cashed in a Groupon-like coupon and headed to one of my local yoga joints.

This place touted itself as being a bit more “funky” than your traditional studio. Instead of the standard new agey blend of music and tones, they go for the straight out rock and pop mix. There was also a lot more cursing and loudly affirming just how “fucking beautiful” we all were than the soft, meditative, contemplative suggestions.

Overall though, I loved everything about the class. And I learned a bit about myself. Like…

  • don’t forget to breath – breathing in a pose helps you go deeper into the pose and holding your breath, well, that’s just no bueno (and sadly, a bit of a constricting habit of mine).
  • don’t be afraid to close your eyes – this is right up there with remembering to still the mind. Seems I had some challenges here. Don’t know if it was more mind-body related (as closing my eyes messed with my balance) or mental (as I found myself looking at the floor, the walls or the ceiling instead of closing my eyes).
  • don’t be afraid to stop thinking – I was able to leave my cares at the door (for the most part), but I did get busted for looking at my iPhone during class (just to check the time). In which case, I’m thinking if I’m wondering about the time, that I’m not quite stilling my mind.
  • know when it’s okay to adapt what you’re doing – sometimes you just can’t do 5 push-ups in a row (let alone three sets of them). And let’s be honest, the average yoga newbie is NOT going to be able to go from a plank to a table top…just not gonna happen! So just adapt…downward dog it is!

I will say though, when all was said and done, by the time I made the walk back to my car (and wiped off the dripping sweat – did I mention that they also like to keep the studio warmer than usual?) I was actually feel great.

I feel like I did finally reach that zen and calm moment.

And then the pain kicked in. Turns out all that downward dog and warrior posing means a LOT of stretching muscles that haven’t been stretched quite that much in a while.

I’m already looking forward to next Monday’s class. And I keep telling myself that the recovery from the pain shouldn’t last nearly as long each time I go back 😉  Please tell me I’m not making that up!!!

Soup is On at Soup-a-Palooza!

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Soupapalooza

I first heard about Soup-a-Palooza about a week ago.  Since then, I’ve been anxiously awaiting the time to share my own recipe.  One of my very simple, right out of the pantry, go to soups.

I discovered this recipe back in about 2004 or so when I first stumbled upon Karen Duffy’s (of MTV|Reality Bites|Dumb & Dumber fame) A Slob in the Kitchen cookbook at Book Soup while waiting on my husband after work one day.  Since then, I have made a version of her White Bean and Pesto soup many, many times.

And please, keep in mind that I am  in no way, shape or form a food or recipe blogger.  So there’s no fancy photo to accompany this recipe.  Which makes sense as it’s really too simple to even worry about anything else.

Karen Duffy’s White Bean and Pesto Soup

2 cups chicken broth or stock
2 19-ounce  cans of white beans (drained & rinsed)
2 tablespoons pesto sauce
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the white beans and simmer for about 2 minutes, then stir in the pesto.  Once you’ve plated the soup, top with grated parmesan cheese.

That’s it.  Super simple.  If you keep frozen cubes or a tube of pesto on hand, you’ll be able to put this soup together in under 5 minutes.  Serve with a crusty bread and a side salad and you’re good to go.

One word of advice…do NOT add any extra salt.  Depending on the pesto and the broth, this soup can sometimes get a little too salty.

For access to more soup recipes, I invite you to Come join Soup-a-Palooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers and share your favorite soup recipe.  You never know, you could win some fun prizes.

Things Change. Life Happens.

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Go for it now.  The future is promised to no one.

~ Wayne Dyer

Wow. I guess I didn’t realize just how long I’ve been gone from here. My last post was Thanksgiving Day – over 2 months ago.

Not cool.

I think I’ve been avoiding coming over here because well, like the title says…life happens and things change.  I felt more of a draw to my business blog and newsletter than to chat about life here in LA.  And of course, it doesn’t help that we haven’t really been up to much locally.  Funny how when the resources dry up, the going out also seems to dry up.

Which makes me think that I might go out and change up the focus here on the blog a bit.  While it will still be more of a personal, out and about sort of thing, I’m thinking that I’d like to try my hand at sharing some of my favorite things.  This might include…places to see, books to read, recipes to try, words and thoughts to motivate.  Who knows.

And while I won’t allow another 2 months to go by between posts, I won’t be writing daily.  But I will be here and I will continue to share tidbits and ramblings from the life and times of this LA Blogger Gal.

Thirty Days of Gratitude: Family of Friends

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The NM Gang

DAY ELEVEN – Family of Friends: It’s often been said that we may not be able to pick our family, but we can most definitely pick our friends.  I’ve always been blessed with an amazing “family” of friends…everywhere I’ve lived.  This trip back to New Mexico, I was able to sit down, like a family over a good, home-cooked meal, with my dear friends.  Richard and I are in the middle there, my best friend (and former roommate), Julia and her man Ed are on the left, and my mother-figure (for lack of a better term…this is the woman that made me cry when she came into the ready room at my wedding), Effie, and her main man, Doug (who often feels like my big brother).  It took a while – and a LOT of laughter – to finally get this picture, but I love everything about it.

So for today…I am so grateful knowing that I have an amazing family of friends that I can always count on for love, laughter, advice and a great dinner!

Thirty Days of Gratitude: Modern Medicine

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DAY EIGHT – Modern Medicine: I’ve written about it far too many times to even bother recounting, but yes, I seem to be sick…again.  I actually just finished my first week of antibiotics. But well…I fly again this week and I still feel all congested. So I opted to try for a second week as well.  My goal here is to just not make things worse than they are.  And while I’ve been on antibiotics far more than I’m comfortable with, let’s face it…modern medicine works.  Then again, up until this last flight, I was doing just fine going the herbal and homeopathic route too (which I’ll return to hardcore once I get back home).

So for today…I am grateful that I have the best doctor in the world – she doesn’t even require me to see her for my sinus infections and she’s always there when I need to heal – and for the wonders of modern medicine.

Thirty Days of Gratitude: Vampire Diaries

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DAY FOUR – Vampire Diaries: Okay, time to be completely honest, I started watching Vampire Diaries a little over a year ago (my husband was taking a phone call and there was nothing else on that I could watch without him – meaning the rest of the stuff on the DVR was “together” shows). I got hooked. Immediately. I must say, it’s not nearly as cheesy as it could be. I think they’ve done a great job with the storyline and when each episode ends it leaves me excited for the next (and no, I’ve never seen nor read any of the Twilight series). And of course, there’s Ian Somerhalder. I loved him on Lost and I love his strung out lover, bad boy character on Vampire Diaries. If you haven’t yet seen the show, check it out. Or just check out this video clip from last year – hot, hot, hot!

So for today…I am grateful that when Boone died on Lost, he didn’t really die forever – I can see an even sexier version on Vampire Diaries.

What I Love About October

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Harvest Charlie

October means many things to many people. For some it’s the start of the official fall season. For others it’s the fun of Halloween. For others, fall harvest and colorful leaves.

For me, I love how October brings forth the following:

Pumpkins, pumpkins and more pumpkins! Pumpkin spice coffees. Pumpkin muffins and breads. Pumpkin facials. You name it, pumpkin is everywhere.

Cranberries!! After pumpkin flavored everything, I love the how cranberries are everywhere…in mojitos, in salads, in muffins and white chocolate chip cookies! Love it!

Fuzzy blankets! In our home, the favorite blanket is the microfiber, faux shearling throw. When that blanket comes out, the cat and the dog are all over it. In fact, I typically have to fight them for it.

Fuzzy Footwear!! As much as I love me some flip flops, I also love me some Uggs (or in my my case, faux-uggs). There’s just something about warm fuzzy boots…they’re like slippers, only they’re shoes. I also picked up a pair of Ugg (non-faux) clogs last winter and I can’t wait to dig those babies out.

Tea!! I love tea. I love whole pots of tea! I love starting the day with a cuppa milky, sweet, black tea. And once the cooler temps hit, I’m able to drink copious cups of tea! Yay!

Scarves!! This time of year, especially here in LA, our days can still be warm, but our evenings are chilly. So now I get to pull out my collection of scarves and have fun!

Rainy Season!!! I think this has to be my favorite time of year here in LA. We don’t exactly get seasonal changes so there’s not much to look forward to. But every October, the rains come. Granted, it’s nothing like monsoon season in the SouthWest, but it’s still nice to know that there’s a bit of a rainy season.

Now if I could only get it to rain hard enough to actually clean my car instead of turning it to a muddy, misty mess.

Did You Go To Blogger Prom?

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Last Wednesday was one of the coolest parties in LA, the 2nd annual Blogger Prom. This a big deal and a great way to mingle with other local bloggers. And of course, since it was basically started by a slew of foodie bloggers, you better believe it’s a killer party.

Sadly, I wasn’t able to attend this year (yes, sick again). I can’t figure out what I was more bummed about…missing the awesome fashion, the amazing food and drinks (I can’t believe I missed the The Cheese Impresario!), the giveaways (oh sweet Jesus, the giveaways!) or the swag bag (I heard the swag bag was beyond killer!).

Last year, they had an 80’s prom theme (which I totally failed when it came to my outfit) and this year it was a Hollywood Confidential theme. Imagine all those gorgeous dresses, fantastic hairstyles and the dramatic make up.

For photos and recaps of the event (you know, from people who were actually there), check out the official Blogger Prom blog, the photographer’s official photos, their Facbook Page and their Flickr page.  Now you can be bummed that you missed out on a great party too.

Can’t wait for next year’s prom!!

A Note From the Universe

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Aurora Borealis, the colored lights seen in the skies around the North Pole, the Northern Lights, from Bear Lake, Alaska, Beautiful Christmas Scene, Winter Star Filled Skies, Scenic Nature

Photo by Beverly & Pack

What if, loneliness was simply a feeling of impatience, telepathically sent to you by friends you’ve yet to meet, urging you to go out more, do more, and get involved, so that life’s serendipities could bring you together…Would you still feel alone?

What if illness was just the signal a healthy body sent to urge clarification of your thoughts, feelings, and dreams…Would you still, at times, think of yours as diseased?

What if feelings of uncertainty and confusion were only reminders that you have options, that there’s no hurry, and that everything is as it should be…Would you still feel disadvantaged?

What if mistakes and failures only ever happened when your life was about to get better than it’s ever been before…Would you still call them mistakes and failures?

And what if poverty and lack were simply demonstrations of your manifesting prowess, as “difficult” to acquire as wealth and abundance…Would they still cause you to feel powerless?

Well, whatever you feel, I still consider you my only begotten, my champion, and my equal.

Are we close, or what?

~The Universe