What's on my mind...

Yesterday I stopped in at a local Trader Joe's to get SJ his favorite raspberry preservers -- and they are good!

Being a focused shopper -- I go in for what I want and any yummy samples I can score -- I was in the 15 or less line in minutes...the Mediterranean hummus with snap peas was delicious -- and had a few minutes until my turn with one of the perennially cheerful cashiers.  As I stood looking around at all the other in the stores it hit me -- there were no fat people in Trader Joe's!!!!  Not even very many overweight (5-15 pounds)!  

With my overactive mind, I began to see if I could figure out why.  Here's what I have come up with -- their meat section is very small compared to other grocery stores, their fresh produce is organic and the section is large, and their wine is good at all price levels.  Therefore, this is my final deduction: if we eat less meat, more veggies and enjoy what we eat and with whom we eat we won't eat as much and will be more fulfilled.  Duh.

I have always been a woman who defined herself by her work.  Because I was a single mother, I had the cloak of necessity to wrap myself in allowing me to be very immersed in my profession.  Much of my self-worth has been determined by professional attainment, awards, and monetary achievement.  But I am feeling the winds of change and I can't say it is exactly comfortable. When I launched Silver Vixens I could see huge possibilities -- mega-events, consulting possibilities, book publishing, speaking tours, product lines and on and on.

Toward the end of last year I realized I was stressed all the time and not allowing myself much fun.  Then my Fun Guardian arrived.  She hangs on the wall between the kitchen and the den in Arizona and I see her, or not, constantly.  Do you think a 16" piece of art could be changing my life?  Well, she has changed my thinking!  I frequently check to see if I'm having fun and if not, I try to take corrective action!

I go back to the IT'S REINVENTION™ workshop booklet and remind myself of the things I love to do.  In the last week, this reminder has had two manifestations:  A fun table I set when we had friends to dinner last week and a fruitful wandering in an "antique" mall yesterday.  Both times I knew I was in the right place because my heart truly sang with delight.  Here are pictures:

Blue is generally not my color, but I had never seen Carnival Glass in blue and I decided if I hadn't seen it in the last 63 years, I'd better snap it up. Think how beautiful they will be with my yellow Fiesta dishes!  I swoon!

THIS is the feeling I want in my life!

Have you seen the movie Up in the Air.  For openers, it's a really good movie with some outstanding vignettes of real people talking about what it is like to lose their job.  Kind of takes your breath away and puts a different face on the statistics.

Whew! Talking about taking my breath away...OMG George Clooney has never looked more delicious.  I won't tell any more about the story line, but suffice to say there is one instant bit where I think my eyes glazed over and I forgot to breathe!  Let me know if you had that reaction to any part of the movie and which part.  Okay?

At the Scottsdale Art Fair in March, I saw these amazing art pieces made out of found objects and was mezmerized.  I couldn't decide which one I would want, so I bought a poster of them instead and it hangs in my office in Arizona.  When SJ asked what I wanted for Chanukah a couple of weeks ago I knew!  So I went on the Crow River Studio website and started "shopping".  After going back and forth a bit with the artist here she is!

"The only journey is the one within."

- Rainer Maria Rilke

I have never read Rainer Maria Rilke's books, but whenever I see a quote attributed to him it is always thought-provoking.  This one appeared in my inbox from HeartMath and is so perfect for this week.  SJ is out of town for a couple of days and I have set this time aside as a time to think. This week I want to completely revisit Silver Vixens.  Is it doing what I intended?  What do I want it to do? What part do I want to play in it's future?  What part do I want it to play in MY future? If there are changes, how will I accomplish them?  It is so rare that we give ourselves the gift of time to think about what really matters. How cool to be able to give myself this gift.
 

How cool is this?  The women of a certain age supporting a local theater group in Ventura County, California (where else?) raised hundreds of dollars in raffle tickets for the chance to pose for the 2010 Calendar nude!  They said it took a bit to let go and have fun, but fun they had!!!  Isn't it fun to think Silver Vixens were vying for one of the months?  Here's the link:  Tale of Two Calendars

I sometimes wonder if I am ever happier that when playing with fabric and paint chips!  We just had the stairway in our Arizona house painted this week and when Bob the Painter handed me the Benjamin Moore paint chips I felt weak! So many possibilities, so few walls. I would up selecting the palest color I have ever used.  I think it's called Straw and it lights up the dark areas and sets off the bookcase so nicely.

This house went years without any love and affection -- to me that means painting the walls with color instead of off white, curtains, and new carpet or rugs.  I'm happy to report it is responding nicely to the new attention.  We certainly aren't doing everything, but freshening up what visitors can see!  Did I mention the leopard carpeting for the stairs arrives next week????  Pictures to follow.

The day before yesterday I was walking with my friend Bunny and we got to talking about family and friends -- duh!  we're women!  Bunny made the most amazing statement. "I am too old to be around people who don't love me." Wow!  I haven't been able to stop thinking about this.  What a concept!  I don't have to be around people who don't love me!  What clarity.

That means not hanging out with people who tolerate me, who have or express no interest in me, or who don't care about me, but maybe do strictly because I am married to SJ.  Now I have no interest in the world being all about me and not everyone has to LOVE me, but they sure need to like me, find me interesting, talk to me, and enjoy my company --- just as I am!

I cannot tell you how many stomachaches I have had over the years because I have been trying to please or interest people.  I notice as I have gotten older that the stomachaches have abated, but when I think about it my life has been clearing out of many of these folks, too.  

Now my challenge will be to lovingly move these people, and I know who they are, to their greater good -- and it ain't me!!!

Aren't girlfriends and walks such a gift?  That one sure was!!

I neglected to report on our trip to lovely LA. What can I say? Fabulous!!!

The Disney Hall is an amazing piece of architecture -- both inside and out!
 

Our seats were just in front of the pipe organ and practically nose to nose with Dudamel -- and that was the whole idea!

 In the dark ages, I babysat for one of the violinists!  It must have been quite a shock to get a note from her babysitter!!!

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The new conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, is breathtaking. SJ said the only artist he could compare him to is Charlie Chaplin because he uses all of his body in his work and wastes no motions. Okay, have I mentioned he is adorable? Well, he is.

Why was I humming "Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson"??? But again, I digress.
Whew!

Anyway, the concert was great.

The hotel, the Millenium Biltmore is an 85 year old grande dame that looks as good as we do and aspire to.

We also went to the Fashion Institute to see the exhibit of Betsy Bloomingdale's couture gowns and dresses from the 60s through the 90s. Such exquisite fabrics , designs and workmanship. Amazing how tiny she is/was. Can you believe these magnificent dresses?  Yes, that black number is FEATHERS!!! I'm weak!

Our final stop was the Museum of Contemporary Art and it too was simply amazing.                                     We admitted to beingsurprised by the breadth and depth of their collection. They have the largest Louise Nevelson I have ever seen and a room full of Mark Rothkos! Be still my heart!

So now you know where to go and what to do if you have 36 hours in LA -- all in walking distance...something the Angelenos don't do!

I also had the delight of finally meeting my Women Entrepreneur editor, Eve Gumpel. What fun to put a face to the name and find out she loves to sing Broadway show tunes...my kind of girl!