Pen pal

On the pens given away at the Writers' Conference:

Write is a verb.
Sit down. Start writing.
No excuses.

My craft

There is a joy in being around other writers, of discussing issues unique to the writing process, of honing our turn of phrase. I was so immersed in all of that and more today at the Javits Center. Learning, perfecting, sharing, seeking.

The Writers' Conference was a whopping success for this writer and her work in progress.

I'm energized.

Write stuff

Tomorrow is the Book Expo Writers' Conference at the Jacob Javits Center. Really looking forward to immersing myself in all things book related.

The writer that lives inside me is doing cartwheels.

Three days

Such a full weekend. Went to Baltimore to visit a friend. Came home and did some house cleaning. Plenty of reading. Lots of thinking. Re-stocked the fridge with fresh vegetables.

A good holiday weekend.

Simple pleasure

Enjoyed a well-prepared, healthy meal at Thalia tonight (thank you for the recommendation, Rachael Ray). Met a friend for insightful, stimulating conversation.

It's one of my favorite things to do.

Hoboken

Saw my town through someone else's eyes today. Love that. Makes me realize how great it is.

I live.

Leg man

Conversation with a centipede at 7:45 a.m.:

"Listen, I have to go to work now. Ever since I read that holistically you represent 'forward movement' I've become a little more tolerant of your presence. I know you're here to remind me of my own progress. After all, you're walking up the living room wall toward the very high ceiling. Up, up, up. Definitely moving in the right direction.

"So here's the deal. I'm leaving now and I'll be home around 3:30. You have free reign of the place until then. But then you must disappear. As long as you make yourself scarce by then, the Raid stays in the cabinet. Do I make myself clear?"


He has disappeared. He has spoken.

Aligned

Had some glorious bodywork done today. It's called Ohashiatsu and the brochure says it's sometimes called "acupuncture without needles." My practitioner was wonderful -- she made me feel very much at ease.

You basically lie on a futon fully clothed and she uses compression, stretching and leaning to release tension and address any specific concerns you have.

It was an hour of profoundly deep relaxation.

Weekend

Haven't blogged for a few days. I'm in withdrawal.

The weekend in capsule:

-- "Did" the city with my sister and a friend on Saturday. Particularly enjoyed trying on a pair of Cole Haan black pumps with the special Nike air elements for comfort. They're on my radar now. A good dinner ended a pleasant day despite the iffy weather.

-- Went to a graduation yesterday for a dear cousin who earned his MBA. A celebratory lunch followed. It was a chance to honor someone who has done much for many.

-- Ended the weekend with The Sopranos. It was flat out fantastic. David Chase captured exactly the dynamic in the Italian-American community when it comes to depression and mental illness. A mix of ignorance, blaming, anger, knee-jerk expletives, and tears. Spot on.

A satisfying weekend.

Bitten

Saw Sara Jessica Parker on Oprah and she's got a line of clothing coming out in June. Every item is under $20. It will be one heckuva madhouse at Steve & Barry's, where her clothes will be sold.

Her message is admirable. Affordable fashion that looks and feels good and is well-made.

Bring it.

Blonde ambition

She's got the six-carat Harry Winston on her bony, unpolished finger.


-- Elle Woods, Legally Blonde

How do you not love that movie?

Retreat

I have a vision of a little village in Italy or the South of France. There's a cozy apartment. It's walking distance to a quaint town center with one bakery, one boulangerie, some sweet restaurants, and a fresh food market that comes to town once or twice a week.

I am there for at least a month, writing my book, taking it to the finish line. There is beauty all around.

Yup.

Clarity

Scratchy throat. Runny nose.

Claritin first for instant relief.

Then a look at my communication chakra, which holistic medicine says is at the root.

Kind of cool.

Mantra

Stay the course.

Stay the course.

Stay the course.

Stay the freakin' course.

Sopranos

Christopher is dead.

Gripping stuff.

It runneth over

It seems like I have been feeling my abundance in 100 ways this week.

Amazing.

Close call

A terror plot in my state.

Life is precious indeed.

Quotes to live by

My life coaching client surprised me with a fabulous box of notecards today. There are four different quotes to choose from and the stock and design are beautiful.

The quotes:

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
-- Winston Churchill

Nothing is worth more than this day.
-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

What lies behind us
And what lies before us
are tiny matters
compared to what lies within us.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Whether you think you can or think you can't -- you're right.
-- Henry Ford

I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite.

My fish tale

Saw some interesting art at the Hoboken Art & Music Festival today. Bought a framed print of a big green fish with big, big eyes and big, big red lips next to a little fish with the same features.

It's aptly called "Big Fish, Little Fish."

Such a grand life question. I love that.

Walking my talk

Since I'm always touting the idea of a reward system to my life coaching clients, I decided to apply it to myself today. Basically, it went like this:

Spend three hours of this gloriously lovely day working on your book and your business and you can go get a wonderfully relaxing pedicure.

Done and done.

Bring it

I got a new client today. A really smart and motivated one. She wants the next month to be, in her words, "a race, not a marathon" as we work toward her goal.

I love that kind of challenge.

Look inward

As long as your happiness is caused or sustained by something or someone outside of you, you are still in the land of the dead.

-- from The Way To Love by Anthony De Mello

Paper the town

I have a new life coaching flyer hanging all over town. I love that I live in a flyer-friendly place. Here's what it says:

Is your work your life?

That's an awful lot of pressure to put on a job.

Let's build out your Non-Work life,
And watch everything else fall into place.

Contact me for a consultation.

The flyers should get a lot of exposure with the Arts & Music Festival taking over this weekend. Let the fun begin.

Sweetness

My mother has always laughed at how I hum when I'm eating something I really love. Well, I was just humming up a symphony. I was craving a sweet and decided a chocolate-covered strawberry was a tasty, reasonable choice.

That thing was sublime. Big. Juicy. Sweet. The chocolate coating was thick. I put a dollop of whipped cream on it.

Party in my mouth.