December 7, 2016 In BLR Memorial Travel Scholarship Fund, Links, People, Photos

the people of starbucks

(I wonder how many of you will get the title copycat reference:)

My business is not glamorous. I spend a lot of my days in what’s been called my “Sporty Spice” gear. We’re not talking about hot chick in Lululemon matching cute spandex outfit kind of stuff. More like the rotating 6 pair of shorts I got at the Adidas outlet last year for ten bucks each, and some variety of the 8,600 BLR Play It Forward pink or blue t-shirts I’ve collected from years of events. I’m often meeting with home services people for last minute improvements to get houses market ready as I organize a garage, or declutter several rooms. I might be unpacking from a recent move, or helping stage a space. I often schlep furniture, sort piles of paper in offices, or spend hours on the phone with cell phone and cable companies arguing better rates for my clients. These kind of tasks do not require the skirts, dresses, or heels I love. Sporty Spice wear all the way.

Just when I start thinking to myself Ok Diane, maybe It’s time to ramp up your sporty, grubby, get-it-done gear with something stretchy but at least still halfway cute, I see this:

Sweats

…and this:

Sweats

…and I think to myself. You know what? I think I’m doing just fine.

Do you see me trying not to laugh in the first picture? I took it last week. I was sitting near a fireplace at a Starbucks because all the tables were taken. I was having a Don’t all the other fine folks in this place look all fabulous in their business gear, maybe I should stop coming straight from the gym or client projects in my nappy old sporty things to catch up on computer time looking like this moment. Then? This woman came in, sat staring at me with her full spread of Bojangles chicken and biscuits, and noshed away. As soon as she finished, she proceeded to unapologetically pull her jacket over herself with a big yawn and take an hour nap. (At the time I was texting with my sister and had to send her a photo as I shook my head giggling away.) That scene gave a whole new meaning to “It’s Bo Time.”

Here I sit today (I think on the exact day and time I was here last week?) next to the fireplace once again because there are no tables available in this always hopping afternoon coffee spot. Sure enough…round two. Business guy in same chair kicks my purse after he kicks off his shoes that have housed his smelly (not even kidding you, stinky) argyle dress-socked feet, so he too can lounge as if he’s in his own living room.

Are you laughing yet? I am.

Ew. Stinky stranger feet in my face.

If I ever worry again about looking a little bit grubby or the least bit crazy dressed in my not so hottie mcdottie clothing at Starbucks…um…I won’t.

#ThingsPeopleDoInPublic #EntertainingHumans #ItsBoTime

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December 7, 2016 In Articles, Links, North Carolina

gettin’ hitched

I went to a lot of weddings this year. My sister recently teased me, “Mom and I think you’ve been to more weddings than anyone else we know!”

Probably true. I love weddings. I love, love. I am a love geek.

So yes, I love weddings, and I’m a huge, huge schmoopy (thanks, Goette!) love geek, but I’ve never wanted my own big wedding. Read this piece from today’s Charlotte Agenda about getting married at the courthouse. Yeah! Perfection. Katie & Nick are my kind of peeps with their simple but sweet wedding plan and execution.

In 2015 as invites to weddings kept coming into my mailbox, I was thrilled for 2016 travel; Napa, Tahoe, Aspen, Charlotte…hello awesome celebration spots! Lucky me to have amazing friends living in fabulous places. I had a blast. If you catch me on a good day I might share details about the 6 hours straight I spent on the dance floor after Aspen nuptials wearing my animal print stilettos every second thankyouverymuch. (Thanks, Ronnie!) Lets just say I’m still giggling from that one. Misbehaving is sometimes fun, much deserved, and completely necessary.

Some people like big parties, some like small. I like a dance party. However you like to plan and do your party, do it. I will be there every time. Celebrating love and knowing there is plenty out there is all that matters:

Surprises

You might see me at a courthouse soon, at a fountain in Madrid, or just on another dance floor. Life certainly does take turns we don’t expect.

Here’s to love in every shape/color/size/place. Cheers my friends!

Blue martini

(Of course It’s a blue martini!)

#OnlyTheBeginning #LessStuffMoreLoveHappyLife #Celebration

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November 25, 2016 In Books to read, Freedom, Links

the absolute reality of black friday…

…and all “shopping,” really:

YOU CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH OF WHAT YOU DON’T NEED.

Consumerism

Funny that I’m finishing this book today, on Black Friday? More like perfect, as these now underlined words keep jumping out at me with the same passionate madness that Tom Cruise had that time he jumped on Oprah’s couch.

Have I mentioned how much I abhor Black Friday? A day like this fuels the giant denial fire that so many of us live in everyday. It fuels the debt fire, the stuff fire, the fire of pushing down and hiding away our real lives…because if we get more, more, more…we will be better.

Wrong.

The less “stuff” we have in, on, and around us, the happier life is. Period. This is not my opinion, it is a fact. I would like to be proven wrong, but I have a feeling I’d be hard pressed to find a guy out there with a few hundred thousand in debt, a house full of crap, and a bunch of personal baggage from growing up he’s never faced, who lives in pure true bliss. It’s just not possible. We as humans weigh ourselves down with such an enormous amount of what we don’t need, we actually break ourselves. Ever thought about that?

I hope during this holiday season you take a look around your space and think about what you can get rid of to make room for an extra hour with your friends. I hope you stop and think before going into Target, about what you really need at Target. I bet you’re not nearly out of that soap, lip liner, or rolls of 86 paper towels you’re about to buy. Think about that extra awesome hour you could have playing in the backyard with your kids, that you were about to spend at Target in line getting pissed off about how long they are, just so you could buy a bunch of things that you don’t even need yet. Target is open tomorrow, dooms day is not coming, and imagine- just imagine, actually finishing off one bottle of something before buying another. Imagine putting that “I can never get out of Target for less than $200!”, $200, towards an extra credit card payment that will help pave your road to debt freedom.

Victory!

Do you remember how great it was “doing nothing” yesterday playing football with your sons, watching the parade with your cousins, sipping wine with friends as you chopped and chopped? Do you remember snuggling up having coffee on the couch listening to granny’s stories about that time she burned the turkey? Do you remember laughing until your stomach hurt between dinner and dessert reminiscing with your sister about those really crappy guys you both used to date? Do you remember what you said when you were all going around the table sharing what you were thankful for? Do you remember really missing that person who was no longer around to sit next to and feast with? Do you remember how yesterday was (even in varying degrees of friend and family chaos and drama), all about simplicity and time together? Did we already forget, less than 24 hours later, about the things that really matter?

What kind of gifts are really important for us to give each other, and everyday, not just during the holiday season? I think the answer is time and truth. I encourage us to stop and think about this before we rev our engines and speed off to the rat race of Black (hole) Friday shopping.

#LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife #LiveSimpleDoMore #LiveSimpleLiveMore

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