A life of discovery

What name is best for a "Zoom Ready" course? Opinions please!

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So....

It could be just me.

When I'm on a Zoom or any other on camera call, I'm always aware of the person's background.

I don't mean where they come from, or their life experience, I mean what's behind them.  Like pot plants and stuff. By the way, plants are great. Everyone responds well to plants. Apparently if you don't, you might need a therapist, I read that somewhere. 

I'm visual. Not saying you're not, but seeing clutter etc. bugs the heck out of me. I get distracted.

The…

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I will miss you Nanette Lepore.

Nanette

I had no idea who Nanette Lepore was. 

I was at Thrift Culture in Bellevue square, pre-Covid. It's run by LifeSpring and supports programs that feed, clothe, educate and provide emergency support for local children living in poverty. They pay $1 a year in rent, in one of the highest cost-per-square-foot locations thanks to the Kemper family who own and run the mall. Insert applause here!

I was browsing because I believe in wearable fun and part of my entertainment budget goes to thrift stores.…

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$12 or less Zoom background that's not virtual. Oh, and me in front of it.

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I'm not a fan of virtual backgrounds on Zoom etc. though you can get really cool ones. The thing is, every time you move there's a good change you'll look really weird and we all know you're basically hiding a pile of laundry or clutter. But yes, if you have no alternative, they are much better than holding meetings where everyone can see your bed or fridge. 

A really quick and easy way to create a Zoom background without resorting to virtual is to zip down to a fabric store. Pun unintended. Ye…

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What to wear when you need a stepstool to get the cereal (i.e. you're short).

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The delightful Jami, who helps me with Pinterest says I should have titled this as....

Best Outfits for Short Women: 7 Wardrobe Must Haves for Petite Women

Jami, I promise you, on Pinterest, you can call it whatever you like.

Meanwhile...

If you have ever had to ask someone tall to reach things for you, read on.

Oh short ones! Pocket Venus's. Petites. Those of us under say, Five feet 4. We’ve always had to cut, fold, or sew up the ends of our clothing just to get the right fit, even if th…

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I'll be smiling at you in oh, about two years.

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Currently I am trying to learn how to talk with aligners—Invisalign—in my mouth.
Apparently, I’m supposed to practice reading articles or books until I get used to them. It feels weird. I feel like I’m talking through cotton wool. I’m second guessing what I’m saying. I’m tripping over my sentences. 

They weren't comfortable at first.  And they’re annoying because I have to keep taking them in and out every time I want to eat. Given that I’m from New Zealand and I can’t go more than half an hour…

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It's terrifying being a female solopreneur - here's to Entrepreneurs Day

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Today is Entrepreneurs Day in the US! Wahoo!

Let's raise a glass (or smash a ceiling) in salute to all the women I know in my life who are entrepreneurs, most of whom are solopreneurs.

It is a roller coaster. On one hand, coaches, mindset books, influencers etc. tell you the sky's the limit. You're your own boss, you set your own schedule and if you want to work in your pajamas with the dog snoring beside you (like I am right now) you can. Your rules, your way. You create something from nothin…

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World Kindness Day - complement another woman on her style

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November the 13th is World Kindness Day.

I could argue that every day could be a kindness day but hey, we have to start somewhere. 

It was introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, cool, right? And when I looked it up, I found there’s an actual kindness.org. It popped up at the top of my search bar as an advert. Apparently they have to pay to promote kindness.

According to Wikipedia, the idea behind world kindness day is to “highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the p…

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Multiply your options - by buying multiples.

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When it comes to getting dressed, I cheat.

I have 4 identical tee-shirts from New Zealand.

I adore them, but they are a pain in the butt to get, one of the reasons I buy several at a time. They have NZ native birds on them, a delicate black etching on a plain white tee. Hey, didn’t it used to be a thing to say “put a bird on it.”? Or was that just in Portland? 

I used to get them from a store in Ponsonby, Auckland, where there are ton of great NZ designers who hopefully will still be there …

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Happy Anniversary, Darling.

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In the 80's when I was around 18 and two years under the age limit to get into an Auckland nightclub, I borrowed a friend's ID, gelled and spiked my hair, added blue eyeshadow and a zebra patterned top with shoulder pads and met a boy. 

This was at Club Casablanca, also known affectionately as Catcha-wanker. I vaguely remember neon flamingos, lasers and dry ice and a tiny dance floor. We gyrated to songs like Addicted to Love, and Livin' on a Prayer. He had no sense of rhythm. 

He was interest…

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Ode to Buffy the Vampire Slayer

(Spoiler Alert)

Oh, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I have loved you for thirty years, Sarah Michelle Gellar (and yes, you have improved with age).

Back in 1999 when I was living in Tokyo, an American friend of mine had some VHS tapes (for those of you who remember them). On them were several episodes of a TV show called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It had come out around the same time as a new book called Harry Potter and the Philosophers' Stone.

Oh, my mind was blown. Yes, I liked Harry, but it was …

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