by Leigh | Oct 27, 2016 | Stories |
I just finished Go Set a Watchman and I wish I had someone to talk to about it! I’m a little fired up. I sped-read it to the end last night.
Now, first of all, I probably wouldn’t have chosen this book myself, but it was a present from my dad. I am a huge fan of To Kill a Mocking Bird. But I had read some disheartening reports about how Watchman was never meant to be published and someone had taken advantage of Harper Lee in her old age in order to make money. Watchman was apparently written before Mockingbird, and was rewritten at the suggestion of the editor and become Mockingbird. And, the biggest shock and disappointment revealed by Watchman: Atticus was racist. So you can see why I hesitated.
But I’m the type of person who likes to come to my own conclusion. I wasn’t going to make a judgment until I’d read the book. Plus, I really like the cover art.
The book takes place in the 1960s, in the south. Our beloved Scout is an adult now and visits her home town from New York City. The unrest of the Civil Rights movement is rising and she is confronted by some unpleasant attitudes toward blacks.
There are some rich, descriptive flashbacks to her childhood, robust character development and the creative and insightful writing style that Harper Lee is known for. I wish she had written more books during her life. I felt a connection to her or maybe to Jean Louise and enjoyed spending time with her.
Is it a good book? I don’t know. If you don’t compare it to Mockingbird? Maybe. I’m glad I read it. In the end I learned a great lesson. A lesson about myself and my convictions and confronting things that are unpleasant. With the political climate right now and the ideologies I encounter living where I do, it couldn’t have come at a better time.
by Leigh | Oct 21, 2016 | Stories |
I love the Fitbit. The main reason: It makes you move. I play a fun little game where I try to get more steps than yesterday, more than my husband, or my Sister-in-law or my neighbor. I do everything I can think of to rack up steps: I park far away from the store, I do as many loads of laundry as possible, I play tag in the yard. Anything and everything. I’m obsessed.
The app is very cool. Probably the coolest thing about Fitbit. I love the ‘Friends’ feature.
The graphics are great
It all started with the Fitbit Flex. I got it last year on my birthday (October 2015.) I loved it. I loved tracking my steps. I obsessively checked the App on my phone. You see the Flex doesn’t tell you your step count. It just has 5 dots. Each one represents 20% of your daily goal: 10,000 steps. It buzzes and flashes when you reach it. But, I desperately wanted it to at least tell me the time.
My husband had used a pedometer for a while so he was happy when he got the Fitbit Zip that Christmas. It tells you your step count and the time! Jealous.
At the same time, my kids got UNICEF Kid Power bands as Christmas gifts from my lovely cousin who works at UNICEF. Score. Saved us having to buy them Fitbits (which we really weren’t about to do.) These things are amazing! They tell the time, step count, power points (get enough points and you can contribute to kids around the world.) A great way to trick your kids into moving as much as possible and teach them about helping others. Bonus: they can get a little wet (they’ve survived the pool and the washing machine) and we received free replacement when one stopped working.
So, by now I was seriously wanting an upgrade. I held off until March when I impulsively ordered the Fitbit Alta. It wasn’t the top of the line but it was simple and sleek and an obvious improvement from the Flex. It tells the time! And step count and active minutes and mileage and calories. It tracks your sleep and has silent alarms. It doesn’t track your heart rate or amount of stairs climbed but I didn’t care. I was also so happy to switch from my now grimy orange band to a black one that goes better with my outfits. Best thing about it: It vibrates when I’m getting a phone call or text and the name or number of message scrolls across the screen. I’m in love. The charger stopped working a fews weeks in but Amazon quickly replaced the whole thing.
I was very happy with the Alta, I wore it all the time.
But…
On my birthday this year I got the big boy: the Blaze. I was SO EXCITED. I might have screamed. Yes, I did. Like a girl. The Blaze does everything! On top of what the Alta does, add heart rate, stairs climbed, notifications (like you can read whole texts), music controls. And it has that Apple Watch look.
I really liked it. It has so much cool stuff. I hate to even say this, but I just didn’t love the graphics and the interface. It had some features I just wasn’t going to use. And the more I thought about it I thought the design was just to clunky. I asked my husband if he would be very upset if I took it back. I kind of just wanted the Alta back. But I had already given it to him. Not only did he say he didn’t mind if I returned it, he had been wondering why I didn’t want the Apple Watch, it was so much cooler.
So after much agonizing — if I should spend more money, if I should get the 38mm or the 42mm, if I should get black or white — I went ahead and did it. I got the Apple Watch. I knew immediately it was the right choice.
I’ve only had it for a day. We’re still getting to know each other. If you’re interested, I’m happy to write a more extensive post about all it’s features and functions.
Through all of this I have sort of cringed at spending the money. A part of me thinks its a little showy. But I justify it like this: if it gets me to be more active and healthy (and encourage others to do the same) it’s so worth it.
(This is not a sponsored post. I did link the images to where you can purchase them though.)
by Leigh | Oct 12, 2016 | Stories |
Shout out to my Dad who, when I was little, would always make me inventory my clothes before I was allowed to get new ones.
“Dad, I need new jeans.”
“What’s wrong with all the ones you have?”
Then I’d try on each and every pair of Toughskins to show him that they were either too tight, too short or had holes in the knees. (Wait, that describes the exact jeans I’m looking for today!)
Then out would come the iron on knee patches.
That was grade school. In Junior High and High School I earned my own money and bought Guess, Jordache, Levi’s and even Marithe & Francois Girbaud. I am so dating myself!
So, here they are, every pair of jeans I own to see if I could justify buying just one more pair of jeans. (Spoiler alert: I did.) And to make recommendations for anyone interested.
Note: I’m almost always a 29, but I indicated where I sized up or down.
Lucky Lolita. There’s a tragic tale that goes along with these jeans: a gift from my husband, an attempt to exchange them because they were too long, a botched hemming job at the dry cleaners. In the end they became my favorite jeans. I’ve since cut off the hem. I sort of feel that they’re little too low waisted. One size down. Here’s their latest version with the coveted let-out hem.
Citizens of Humanity Emerson Slim Boyfriend. These are so soft. They’re loose and stretchy but fairly slimming. They look best with a sexy-ish heel. One size down. Get ’em here.
Lucky Charlie Skinny. These are lovely. Soft and stretchy in a dark, crinkly blue. Should have listened to the Lucky salesperson and sized down one size.
H&M Girlfriend Fit. I loved these at first, more flattering that the Gap pair I had, but they bag out quickly. I like the higher waist. I always go up 2 sizes with H&M. You can’t beat the price.
J.Crew Toothpick. Everyone needs a pair of classic dark wash jeans. These aren’t the most comfortable, but they are flattering. On sale!
J Brand. These jeans! My first pair of really expensive jeans (that means different things to different people obviously) that I bought before I had kids, they’re that old. I was pulled into Barney’s COOP while shopping with my cousin Anna in DC. The woman working the “denim bar” argued with me that the 28s fit perfectly and the 29s were too big. To emphasize her infallibility, the model-looking ingenue said, and I quote, “I’ve worked in denim for seven years.” I bought the 29s. I had them hemmed and then re-hemed recently. Every time I’ve worn them I’ve felt like a celebrity. However, they’re not really my style any more — the bootcut-ness of them — I’m considering selling them. Similar pair.
Kensie “You Look Pretty Skinny.” A score at Marshall’s. Everyone needs a super-light-wash pair, right? Soft, stretchy but slimming. Yay!
Zara. Sort of scandalous black waxed jeans with gold zippers. A gift from my bestie Jen. I love how other people’s picks say what they think about you. Apparently she thinks I’m Joan Jett, right? Surprisingly comfortable. Keep, but reserve for sexy night out and with long shirt.
Banana Republic Skinny Ankle. I love these. I ended up cutting them to shorten them and have fringe and I don’t regret it. Great waist height. Great stretch. SLIMMING. Buy these right now.
That’s it for jeans. Chinos, cords and trousers will be for another day.
And so I bought these:
J.Crew Distressed Toothpick in Pamona Wash. Hello perfect Jeans. High-but-not-too-high waist, soft, stretchy, keep their shape, distressed without big knee holes, nice length with or without a roll, slimming and a great blue color that goes with everything. Denim Heaven.
by Leigh | Oct 7, 2016 | Stories |
A friend told me about this idea: a journal that you and your daughter share. I bought a copy of this journal for my cousin to share with her daughter and she loved it so much, I bought one to share with mine. I love this so much because:
It encourages my daughter to practice writing (she’s currently 8 years old)- She shares things in it that I don’t think she would ever say out loud
- I share things with her that I would never say out loud — things about myself as a girl and things about myself now
- We connect in a really special way and bond even more than I think we would from just talking or hanging out
- I reminds me of a journal I shared with my 3rd grade teacher (that helped me so much at a time in my childhood that things were really hard)
- I think it helps to heal the relationship I have with my mom
This particular journal has all sorts of cute writing prompts, but of course you don’t need to buy a fancy journal, just a plain one will work, too. I must admit I do love the cover design and even based my daughter’s room makeover on its color palette.
One last thing: the journal guidelines: Everything stays between you two. Either person can decide that they don’t want to talk about what’s written. No judging—keep it positive. Be honest, have fun.
So try it out. I think you’ll like it.
by Leigh | Sep 30, 2016 | Stories |
My secret to happiness is this: Journaling.
(I know, “journal” is not a verb, but “writing in a journal” is sort of cumbersome.)
Flashback to 1978. A little girl opens a Christmas gift. It’s a Holly Hobbie diary—small and new—with a little brass lock and so much promise. I wrote in in faithfully … for three days. This happened over and over until around 1994 when I found a book entitled, “The Artist’s Way.”
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, is a new-agey, self-help book that aims to help creative people become unblocked and become their best artistic selves. It came into my life at a time when nothing was working. I had tried almost everything to get my life, my relationships and my career in order. I was willing at that point to do almost anything.
Unlike so many of these kinds of books that you read and quickly go back to the way you were, The Artist’s Way teaches you to change by doing. There are contracts to sign and all sorts of assignments, but the core of it resides in what are called, Morning Pages.
Morning Pages are non-negotiable. It is a commitment to journal every day no matter what. You are asked to handwrite three pages of stream-of-consciousness unedited drivel. Do it first thing in the morning. No exceptions. Ever had writer’s block? Well, this is the cure. It’s also the cure for any creative block. Possibly the cure for any block, period.
I urge you to try it. I can attest that it works. The years that I made it a habit changed my life in every way imaginable. I learned about who I am, what I want and what I don’t want. And, voila, I created the life I always dreamed of. And I am recommitting myself to it today. Let’s do it together. Here are the guidelines:
- Write three pages — longhand
- Write without thinking, without stopping, without editing
- Write first thing when you get up — set an alarm if you need to
- Don’t, at first, go back and read it
- Don’t let anyone else read it
- Don’t judge it, just do it
- You don’t need a fancy notebook to start
- If you “mess up” just start again
by Leigh | Sep 27, 2016 | Stories |
“Bucket List” is a term that I use way too much. As in, “I just had my very first Pumpkin Spice Latte! #bucketlist”
We all have things we dream about doing.
Like buying a classic car. Last year my husband bought a 1966 Mustang. (And I get to drive it.) He had been talking about it for as long as I’ve known him.
Not everything on your “list” has to be a big thing. They could be anything that you’ve always wanted to do that will bring you joy. But, I’ve found that writing down big dreams can really help you to attain them. Some things happen easily, some things take a while. Some things will evolve. You may realize that you don’t really want something after all or that in reality you already have it.
Lately I’ve been thinking of things, out of the blue, that I’ve never done. This month I drank my very first Pumpkin Spice Latte and went to a demolition derby.
Things that are currently on my things-I-have-never-done-before list:
- Go see the Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Learn to play a song on the guitar
- Go to a rodeo
- Go see a UFC match
- Go to a Nascar race
- Go to the horse races
- Play golf
- Go snowmobiling
- Go dogsledding
- Go fishing
- Go to Scotland
- Donate blood
- Run half marathon
What’s on your bucket list?
