Rock The Red Pump

#RockTheRedPump
Enzo Angiolini Red Leather Ankle Tie Pumps, standing in front of the
Office of AIDS Prevention Branch Zombie Apocalypse poster.

Me on the left, Our branding at CDPH on the upper right
 and below with co-worker/Style Maven, Renee.

The Rock Red Pump Project was begun in 2009 by Awesomely Luvvie - Luvvy Ajayi and The Fabulous Giver - Karyn Brianne Lee. These two ladies are simply extraordinary. Together they began a fashionable conversation starter about HIV/AIDS Awareness, specifically concerning women and girls and often focusing on AIDS Awareness for Women of Color. This was a particularly important event to be a part of since I work for the California Department of Public Health at the Office of AIDS but that is not the only reason. I am also a woman. I feel blessed to have been invited to post about this inspiring event. On March 10th, do not forget to wear your red shoes.

Rules for Love

Happy St. Valentine's Day

Rules for Love 

A compilation of succinct rules all of us couples should follow.

If we did, we would be sure to stay in love forever.

Rules for love.

1. When it arrives, cherish it.
2. Whatever you accept, you will get
3. Understand that love is a mirror—it will show us who we are if we allow it to.
4. Only we can make ourselves happy, it is not the other person’s responsibility.

Follow the link above or here to see 51 more rules. 

1920's Postcard Detail

1920's Georges Barbier

Ron Hicks "Impulsive"

A Person is Fascinating

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I've decided to add a new category.

Do I call it "People?" or "A World of People?" or "Person?" or "Homo Sapiens?" or maybe I should go with something more sensitive like, "The Human Connection?" or "A Person is Fascinating," as I have titled this post? In any regard, while I sometimes moan about The Human Race at large, I think that a person is intriguing and phenomenal and I have some interesting folks that I'd like to introduce you to! Make some suggestions about the title of this category (for now it's in the right hand sidebar and I'm simply calling it "People").

Everyone has a story.

Change Your Life

It seems I may be experiencing a Mid-Life Crisis. I capitalize it as it can be a title that someone carries, I believe. Some of us have them and some of us don't. As a woman, I believe my crisis looks quite a bit different than the film version that men are stereo-typically thought to have. I am not going to run out and get a Porsche. I am not going to get a boyfriend. I am not going to quit my job (yet, anyway). But I do want to focus on being better. And stop thinking about things that do not serve me.

For instance, I have been singled out at work by two folks whose team I am no part of. I stay awake at night thinking about them and the fact that they want to make me miserable. They don't like me because I am cheerful and happy, positive and friendly, motivated and professional. It doesn't behoove me to think of their disdain for me. Instead, I should be thinking of my wants, my desires, my comfort and my health and how I want to improve my standing. I should be considering what my parents think of me and whether my husband is proud of me rather than even referring to sneers from unprofessional, unhappy people in my mundane, very un-creative job.

On January 5, 2015, my friend Clark introduced me to a book called, "Your Best Year Yet" by Karen Ann Kennedy. I bought it and while I haven't been super structured with it (because inflexibility doesn't serve me), I have gotten a journal and I do read the book as I would any daily devotional, because that is what it is.

What I am trying to be structured in is eating to be healthy and serving food to my husband that encourages him to be healthy as well. I want to re-commit to my yoga practice and (thankfully) have found a new studio to call home and try to meditate and pray for health, self-control, forgiveness and letting go of resentment. And, I want to not only be positive, because that is my nature, but in fact, take that giant leap even further and instead of floating on pink clouds and simply being a dreamer, become the do-er I know I am. The blogs I read (the short list), Regina's here and Lori's here, remind me that I am worthy to have all my desires met; all my goals achieved.

And so I looked for more reference materials on how I really can make this year the best yet and continue in subsequent years to do the same for myself and my family. The list I found is from Time Magazine's online Psychology Section. The article is called "The Ten Best Self-Help Books You've (Probably) Never Heard Of." One of the books listed was published in 1869. I think the list is worth some research. To accompany Karen's book, I also ordered "It Works" by RHJ. It's $2.99 and worth every cent.

Self Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion by Emile Coue - 1869.

It's a New Year - 2015

May your year and all the following years be blessed for you, yours, me and mine too!

Winter Whites

It's the season for Winter Whites. Here are some beautiful things for you!

Dreamy Whites

That basket and those pillows!

A French milk bucket makes a charming Christmas Tree display.

The styling here is magnificent and that tree sits in such a sweet crate.

Cozy Autumn Cocktails

Cardamom Hot Toddy

The smell of fallen leaves, a fire in the hearth, the scents of apples and pie crust, a slow cooked roast...These are the things that let us know that Autumn is edging ever closer to Winter. During these darkening months, comfort often comes in ways that are different than the ways we achieve comfort in, say, Spring or Summer.

One of the ways I feel soothed in the Autumn is by the occasional after work cocktail. My favorite drinks to get while I'm out at this time of year are The Whiskey Fig at the Pour House and The Drunken Butterfly at the Shady Lady Saloon. But in an effort to save money it's always fun and frugal to create our own adult beverages at home.

These are some goodies I have found!

The Jonathan Chapman Cocktail: I call it Spiked Cider. I really like Food Republic.

Nutella Melt with Frangelico from "Winter Cocktails": More a dessert than a beverage.

Boozy Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate

Pomegranate Vanilla Sangria

Pear and Ginger Sage Sipper

The Best of Mood Boards and Collage

Loretta at Creatively Driven: My inspiration for this post.

Regina says I should know some HTML (#17) to have a successful blog and be a serious blogger. I tend to agree with her; she is an uber expert. I think that because I have a lifestyle blog. In addition to knowing just a tiny bit of code, it would behoove me to also know Photoshop in order to create mood boards like the ones here. As in poetry, a mood board (or color board as some would call them) captures feelings, textures, ambiance and indeed feelings that cannot be expressed by words alone. Don't get me wrong; you know I fancy myself a poet and I love the written word, but I love a picture too; it is said, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Now if only I could muster the time and commitment to take a Photoshop class.

Here is a collection of some pretty boards I've recently found while scouring around this playground.

Brianna Rose: Her style is impeccable.

Colleen at Inspired to Share: Her spirit is captivating as you can see in her imagery here.

All of these items are sold on Etsy. This warm board was curated by Sofia Budman.. She is someone I follow on Pinterest and she hails from Tel Aviv, Isreal.

Sara at Salted Ink is amazing. Her style is fresh; her branding sensational.

This was arranged by Kayla Kits at HGTV's Blog: the concept of bubbles is refreshing. I love her addition of the illustrated Kitty.

And finally...

Something Calm at Swooned for the last selection. It was created by Lauren Kathryn. I like the diamond elements.

The Human Marvels

Every year the husband and I throw a big Halloween Event. This year, in an effort to move away from my usual vampire theme, I decided to do "Freak Show" as a nod to Geek Love, A book I read this year and absolutely loved. You saw the invitations. In doing research for this party I became fascinated with the side show and with the glossary attached. The advent and history of the physically unusual accepting money for people to gawk upon their malformations has become somewhat of a little past time for me and a great addition to my abundant admiration of the macabre.

Happy Halloween! 

Enjoy "The Human Marvels" and this outstanding website called Montrous.

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Ghoulish, Dreadful, Macabre and Gruesome

It seems we try so hard to come off with really creepy, intense Halloween costumes and while sometimes we, as modern folk,s pull out all the stops and succeed, it turns out nothing is scarier than the Halloween costumes from early in the last century. This imagery is from all around the web and was compiled last year by Faux Magazine.