I think i'm finally coming down from the high of my carb-loaded Thanksgiving dinner. You know, turkey and ALL the trimmings, right down to that pumpkin pie with extra creamy whipped topping. It wasn't all just stomach-stretching overload, though.
We started the day volunteering at a local soup kitchen. My sons, 18 and 11, had never done this before and i thought it high time they got started. I was tired of hearing the same old "Well, so-and-s0 got this game system six months ago!! We never get anything when it first comes out!"
And so on and so on. All parents know the drill.
We actually had a good time. All us volunteers were ready to get to work, chopping salad, de-boning turkey and fighting the saran-wrap war to cover the pastries. It all worked. And the kids actually enjoyed it enough for the younger one to comment that he'd like to do it again next year.
Guess i haven't totally lost the parenting knack after all.
Happy thanksgiving to all of us in the parent wars. May we all win this season.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
My Must-have Christmas List
A Must-have Christmas List for 2008
Wishes from an Eco-conscious Fashion Shopper
A must-have Christmas list is so subjective; the items are tied to our ages, likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests, even gender and geography. After all, a wonderful gift of ice skates may seem a little impractical in Florida. However, after much perusal and painstaking review, I have carefully selected those gifts that I feel would be truly unique, practical and lovingly bestowed. And without further ado, may I present:
1. The portable E-lap desk from Brookstone is available for $39.95 and is a perfect gift for writers and readers. It has an angled design that provides sturdy support for emailing and web-surfing, and can be used virtually anywhere in your home, including that cozy couch or comfy bed. It also makes a wonderful gift for a bed-bound friend or family member. I can stay caught up with all my web activities from most any place I choose.
2. The Wine of the Month Club can be purchased from Amazingclubs for $107.85 and comes with free shipping for three months. What a great gift for a wine connoisseur or even a newbie. I love sampling new wines and would receive two bottles of premium handcrafted wine from distinctive wineries every month. Yumm!! With more people interested in tasting and learning about wines, I could be a gracious hostess and share my discoveries with friends at wine-tasting parties.
3. Digital picture frames: The Discovery digital photo cube at the Discovery store is only $29.95 and stores up to 70 digital photos in full color. The software is easy to use and helps you find and upload your pictures. My family and friends could always be nearby, a constant reminder of what's important in my life, especially during the holidays. No more searching for last year's photo albums which are so yesterday (to steal someone's recent song phrase).
4. The Dutchy CB Doc Handbag: I had to choose at least one gift for the girly fashion shopper in me! This black shoulder bag is vintage-inspired, a favorite style of mine, and is 13" high, 15" wide and 5" deep, perfectly-sized to hold all of life's little necessities that a fashionista can't be without. It has multiple inner pockets, outer flap pockets, a key ring holder and is detailed with subtle thick stitching. It doesn't hurt that the handbag, from Piperlime for $99.00, comes with free shipping and free returns.
5. Finally, my list wouldn't be complete without an eco-conscious gift and these silky bamboo sheets from vivaterra.com truly fit the bill. They are made of 100% bamboo fiber: a renewable, pesticide-free resource for those new to eco and environmental concerns. These sheets are silky-smooth luxury, they stay tucked in without sliding loose to even the deepest mattress and resist wrinkling for the practical laundress side of me. The thread count is 250 and the price varies from queen to king, running from $129.00 to $239.00, depending on size and color.
So, there you have it. My must-have gifts for 2008, with a wide range of prices and styles to enable any of my family and friends to easily purchase those gifts sure to win my heart. I encourage all of them to find me at susanmulcahy.blogspot.com for further conversation and persuasion!
Wishes from an Eco-conscious Fashion Shopper
A must-have Christmas list is so subjective; the items are tied to our ages, likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests, even gender and geography. After all, a wonderful gift of ice skates may seem a little impractical in Florida. However, after much perusal and painstaking review, I have carefully selected those gifts that I feel would be truly unique, practical and lovingly bestowed. And without further ado, may I present:
1. The portable E-lap desk from Brookstone is available for $39.95 and is a perfect gift for writers and readers. It has an angled design that provides sturdy support for emailing and web-surfing, and can be used virtually anywhere in your home, including that cozy couch or comfy bed. It also makes a wonderful gift for a bed-bound friend or family member. I can stay caught up with all my web activities from most any place I choose.
2. The Wine of the Month Club can be purchased from Amazingclubs for $107.85 and comes with free shipping for three months. What a great gift for a wine connoisseur or even a newbie. I love sampling new wines and would receive two bottles of premium handcrafted wine from distinctive wineries every month. Yumm!! With more people interested in tasting and learning about wines, I could be a gracious hostess and share my discoveries with friends at wine-tasting parties.
3. Digital picture frames: The Discovery digital photo cube at the Discovery store is only $29.95 and stores up to 70 digital photos in full color. The software is easy to use and helps you find and upload your pictures. My family and friends could always be nearby, a constant reminder of what's important in my life, especially during the holidays. No more searching for last year's photo albums which are so yesterday (to steal someone's recent song phrase).
4. The Dutchy CB Doc Handbag: I had to choose at least one gift for the girly fashion shopper in me! This black shoulder bag is vintage-inspired, a favorite style of mine, and is 13" high, 15" wide and 5" deep, perfectly-sized to hold all of life's little necessities that a fashionista can't be without. It has multiple inner pockets, outer flap pockets, a key ring holder and is detailed with subtle thick stitching. It doesn't hurt that the handbag, from Piperlime for $99.00, comes with free shipping and free returns.
5. Finally, my list wouldn't be complete without an eco-conscious gift and these silky bamboo sheets from vivaterra.com truly fit the bill. They are made of 100% bamboo fiber: a renewable, pesticide-free resource for those new to eco and environmental concerns. These sheets are silky-smooth luxury, they stay tucked in without sliding loose to even the deepest mattress and resist wrinkling for the practical laundress side of me. The thread count is 250 and the price varies from queen to king, running from $129.00 to $239.00, depending on size and color.
So, there you have it. My must-have gifts for 2008, with a wide range of prices and styles to enable any of my family and friends to easily purchase those gifts sure to win my heart. I encourage all of them to find me at susanmulcahy.blogspot.com for further conversation and persuasion!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Flying by the seat of your pants
This post could very easily be retitled, "trial by fire" or the "learn as you go" method. Why? Because these popular catch phrases exactly describe this inital blogging process.
"Trial by fire" as defined by Dictionary.com, refers to "a test of one's abilities to perform well under pressure". And doesn't that aptly define us new bloggers? Newbies, we still struggle to put coherent thought on paper and hope for that unique element that drives traffic to our site to...............respond.
Blogging, though, is also a learn as you go practice. I find that when I immerse myself in something new, learn it from the "bottom up", so to speak, I tend to learn it more completely and forget less of what I've learned along the way. Must be the hands-on component that imbeds this new information in my neurons and keeps it easily accessible for future use. So, in time, blogging becomes more natural, like breathing. Easier to put pen to paper maybe but always birthing unique, thought-provoking material. What is a blogger without reactive posts?
A writer in seclusion.
"Trial by fire" as defined by Dictionary.com, refers to "a test of one's abilities to perform well under pressure". And doesn't that aptly define us new bloggers? Newbies, we still struggle to put coherent thought on paper and hope for that unique element that drives traffic to our site to...............respond.
Blogging, though, is also a learn as you go practice. I find that when I immerse myself in something new, learn it from the "bottom up", so to speak, I tend to learn it more completely and forget less of what I've learned along the way. Must be the hands-on component that imbeds this new information in my neurons and keeps it easily accessible for future use. So, in time, blogging becomes more natural, like breathing. Easier to put pen to paper maybe but always birthing unique, thought-provoking material. What is a blogger without reactive posts?
A writer in seclusion.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Welcome to scribbles
To anyone seeking traditional enlightenment: this may not be the place to find it. Or, it may, depending on your point of view. What you will encounter are (hopefully) thoughtful pieces, well-written, and definitely opinionated. It's hard to go around the track more than a few times and not come out scarred and bruised but sharing those experiences provokes insight to avoid the same mistakes over and over again. Ask anyone who has been a member of a divorce support group. Talking is cathartic. So is writing.
So, welcome. And let's chat it up.
So, welcome. And let's chat it up.
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