Blue Lollipop Road

January 11, 2018 In Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Photos, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Travel, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin

celebrate everyday: day 10

1.10.18

I took this photo at the DMV today:

…and I had a shockingly easy, helpful experience. (See?! There’s hope for everything!)

The license plate is always the first thing I look at when I see a car. Still. Since I was little, anytime we drove anywhere, I would look for plates from states I hadn’t seen before, and daydream about where the people inside the cars were going. I would wonder about what these places looked like, and fantasize about going to them someday.

I’ve spent time in all 50 states and 19 countries at this point. Seeing this wall yesterday made me feel that fire inside I love, for adventure and the possibility of everything out there, to see, be, and do. I still believe “travel” is the fastest route to your truth; Putting yourself in any completely foreign/uncomfortable/new environment, staying flexible, and figuring out how to independently navigate is incredibly empowering.

Today I celebrate possibility in the unknown, and all the magic that can happen when you take a step towards life to somewhere new.

Today is the day. The road awaits. Where are you going?

#StartDriving #LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #StepOutside

*Feeling stuck? Overwhelmed? Ready to make a change? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

January 9, 2018 In Inspiration, Links, Projects & Organizations I dig, Uncategorized, Videos

celebrate everyday: day 9

1.9.18

Today I celebrate always looking up:

(Click here for video.)

…because everybody deserves to be seen.

#StyleForAll #TransformativeFashion #PowerSuit

*Feeling stuck? Uninspired? Ready to make a change? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

January 8, 2018 In BLR Play it Forward 2012, BLR Play It Forward 2013, BLR Play It Forward 2014, BLR Play It Forward 2015, BLR Play It Forward 2016, BLR Play It Forward 2017, BLR Reunion Soccer Weekend 8/18/12, Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Scholarship, Inspiration, People, Photos, play, Strong Mojo, Thank you, Uncategorized, Vermont

celebrate everyday: day 8

1.8.18

Today is January 8th. Teachers’ Day/National Teacher Appreciation Day is not until May 8th, so I guess I could’ve waited to celebrate and shout out to my favorite teacher until then, but I don’t like following the rules (shocker), so I choose today instead. He knows I’m not a rule follower, so the fact I just sent him this image I saved recently won’t be a surprise:

Quiet and shy have never really been my thing. My poor teachers. I always respected them (if mom ever found out there was any disrespect…whoa), but boy I know I had to have been a chatter-boxing pain in the you know what to have in class.

Thank goodness for teachers like Mr. B! (Now “Charlie” because I’m an adult, but I’m still not used to calling him that.) This man somehow had the magic that so many awesome teachers do, to keep kids like me on task back in the day when I was distracted with things like laser backgrounds, boys, and acid wash:

Flash forward from the 1989/1990 school year and now since the beginning of BLR Play It Forward, Charlie has come out to support me. We always have a lunch date (his wife included) during the week when I’m running around doing event prep, where we talk about all things life, then come the big day, we get our annual photo together. The first year in 2012, I was showered and clean after our alumni game at the art gallery that was part of our celebration:

…every year after that, not so much on the clean side, but smiling all sweaty from soccer and being in good company of course. 2013:

2014:

2015:

2016:

(Five for five in the pouring rain and thunder!)

2017:

Notice anything besides the fact that we look younger ever year? 🙂

Charlie’s shirt was never planned, he just happened to wear the same one on year 2 and 3, and then it became a thing.

It feels pretty special as an adult, to become friends with your teacher. Especially your favorite one, and especially because you get to simultaneously apologize to them for being mayyyyybe just a bit stubborn back then (who, me?!), and thank them, for being a positive part of shaping you.

Today I celebrate teachers! The grossly underpaid set of amazing people responsible for corralling all us monkeys and enlightening us, even when they’d probably like to throw us in detention for a week for being sassy little things.

Who always shows up for you? Send them a thank you note. Continued support from people who see promise and believe in you is a seriously big deal.

Thanks, Charlie! A million apples for you.

#LoveYourWork #TeachersRock #Community

*Want to send thanks to someone and don’t know how? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

January 7, 2018 In Inspiration, News & Updates, People, Photos, Today Is The Day, Uncategorized, Vermont

celebrate everyday: day 7

1.7.18

This announcement is happening today:

This is my brother.

Proud is a vast understatement for how I feel about Brad. He defines selflessness, hard work, generosity, integrity, kindness, and bravery. I wish there were bigger words, but I’m not sure they’d ever be big enough for describing how and who he is. He is undeniably one of the greatest humans ever made.

Today is a HUGE day for Brad. And all of us. Today is about standing up, speaking up, and truth.

Today I celebrate people who do the right thing when nobody’s watching. Those humble heroes like Brad, who are always loyal, fearless, and continuously look outside themselves to lead with love.

Maybe it’s time to stand up for things you believe in. Today is the day. What are you waiting for?

#VermontsNewWayForward #StandUpVermont #MojoWarrior

*Ready to take the plunge for something you want and not sure how? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

*Added Monday January 8th:

1.) News article here on announcing bid.

2.) Peacock for Senate website here.

3.) Facebook page here.

January 6, 2018 In North Carolina, Photos

celebrate everyday: day 6

1.6.18

I sort of feel like a big wimp continuously talking about how cold it’s been in North Carolina when it’s been in the 30’s all week. 30 degrees would feel like an epic heat wave to any New Englanders right now. I talked to a friend in Maine today and he told me it had been colder there than in Antarctica. Wha?!

I’m better suited for bare feet than booted, so I think I’ll stay south for home base.

A silver lining to frigid temperatures and having to hunker down, is that we can get things done that we’ve been avoiding, or too busy to do for the past X amount of time. Like clearing inboxes. I was able to delete 100+ messages from my phone today. At this very moment I have this gloriously empty scene on my screen:

Ahhh! Clean, clear, and under control.

What else about this snuggled in Saturday? I knocked out a bunch of work, took care of some travel plans, read a little, and even baked banana bread. (Don’t get too excited, I’m not that domesticated.) Sometimes the go, go, go feels better to stay, stay, stay. Today I celebrate the cold. (You’ll probably never hear me say that again, so note this day as monumental.)

Now that I’ve given the cold a little love…is it pool season yet? I’m ready for a tropical cocktail in the blazing sun.

What are you clearing out of your life to make room for, today?

#SimpleSaturdays #ProductiveHibernation #PassMeTheBlanket

*A project overwhelming you that needs to get done? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

January 5, 2018 In Great companies, Links, North Carolina, Operation Charlotte, Projects & Organizations I dig, Thank you

celebrate everyday: day 5

1.5.18

I went to booty shaking (technical term) class this morning, as usual (have to support the bread, cheese, and chocolate habit), and as soon as I got out, I saw a voicemail on my phone from a client. My initial uh-oh thought was because I knew this was a day I had set up a vendor to work with this client and I wasn’t going to be there. Did I forget to do something?! I played her voicemail with a slight cringe, hoping not:

“Diane! Hey it’s (name), I just wanted to tell you that the guys from Junkluggers are the nicest people I’ve ever met. They’re unbelievable! I just wanted to let you know, I love these guys!”

The Junkluggers are a vendor of mine. I send them to clients often, to do moves or junk removal. Since the first time I met the owners, they have been nothing but friendly, efficient, communicative, timely, and helpful. So incredibly professional.

Customer service seems pretty terrible these days. It’s a total bummer. It’s hard to go to a restaurant and get a smiley server, and too often the check out clerk is just plain miserable. I wonder why so many people look like they’d rather be doing anything else other than their job, and then I think of the fact that even though I’m 39 years old, my mother would smack me if I put in any less that A+ effort in my work life/with a client. You treat people with respect and hospitality, right? And keep cranking until things are done appropriately, right? Always. That’s what these guys do, and never fail.

My client thought the Junkluggers crew were some of the nicest people on planet, because they are. They’re nice, they get the job done, and best of all, I never have to worry in a bit that their service will be anything less than impeccable. It feels fantastic to be able to have that level of confidence in a vendor. I’m so thankful for this crew!

Moving and junk removal are not glamorous, so extra high-fives to these guys for doing the “dirty” work, and smiling every minute along the way.

Today I celebrate good customer service, and being able to take comfort in the people I trust most to go into the homes of my clients during big life transitions.

Thanks, guys!

Who are you choosing to work with?

#LoveYourWork #KeepSmiling #LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife

*Need some help during your big life transition? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

January 4, 2018 In BLR-Mobile, blue lollipops, Honda, Inspiration, Links, North Carolina, Operation Charlotte, Photos, play, Sport, Strong Mojo, Vermont

celebrate everyday: day 4

1.4.18

Look what finally came in the mail!

Today I celebrate license plates!

It took me a LONG time to give up my green mountain state tags (and I sure didn’t want to), but imagine my delight to find a “Support Soccer” offering as an option for North Carolina.

Perfect. I think I’m in love.

You can take a girl out of Vermont, but you could never take her mojo away.

What are you doing to remember where you came from?

#StartDriving #AlwaysLookingUp #HondaLove

*Have you lost your mojo? Ready to make a change? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

January 3, 2018 In North Carolina, Photos

celebrate everyday: day 3

1.3.18

Balconies on warm days. The promise of that, anyway. That’s what I celebrate today:

(I only opened the door for about 3 seconds to take this photo. Brr. Is it spring yet?) I’m pretending that table is littered with wine (bubbles) and snacks (cheese) and it’s about 60 degrees warmer than today. When this was this actual scene (a very similar looking table) last summer at a friends house on several late Friday afternoons, her kids called them our “work meetings.”

Indeed. Being your own boss has it’s perks.

Who are you working for?

#ThisIsWhyWeHustle #PivotTribe #WorkUnstuck

*Ready to make a change in your work life? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

January 2, 2018 In Be active, blue lollipops, grow, North Carolina, Operation Charlotte, Photos, play, Today Is The Day

celebrate everyday: day 2

1.2.18

I just got back from a 5 mile run. It was 14 degrees with a “feels like 7” according to my phone. According to me, it felt like my ears could’ve frozen off. Holy moly, that was about the coldest run I have ever done in the state of North Carolina. I’m from Vermont, but to me 65 degrees is cold, and if I never saw a snowflake again it would probably be to soon. I like frigid temperatures about as much as I like Trump, but let’s stay on track here- we’re supposed to be talking about celebrating, not hate…

Today I celebrate that I have feet. Two that are healthy and work:

I’ve been a runner since high school, and put in miles all over the globe, on beaches, in cities, on back country dirt roads- you name it. There have been treadmills along the way (including at the “free” gym downstairs in my building, and at the YMCA I pay to be a member at, a mile away from where I live), but running outside is so much better. I think the only time I have ever run on a treadmill was in my building gym in Chicago a few years back, and only because Dwayne my doorman saw me heading outside to pound the negative temperature Windy City pavement and he yelled at me. (Good thing someone takes care of us stubborn people over here.)

If one of my least favorite things is the cold, why would I go outside to run on a day like today? Because I want to feel alive, strong, and celebrate the fact that I’m lucky enough to have a 39 year old body that can. No excuses.

If you’re snuggled up all warm & cozy next to your lover, or with a book the next time Siri tells you it’s as cold as a you know what making you feel unmotivated to move your body, just jump. Jump out of bed, and get out the door to do whatever it is that makes you feel alive and strong. I promise you will feel totally badass after you’re done.

Get moving! I know you can do it. Consider this a stinky feet high-five from me.

What moves you?

#StepOutside #LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #Run

*Feeling stuck? Need to get moving? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

January 1, 2018 In blue lollipops, Inspiration, Live the life you want to live, North Carolina, Photos, Today Is The Day

celebrate everyday: day 1

1.1.18

I’ve been planning to start a project today for a long while now, but didn’t know what kind of photo I’d kick it off with. New Years Eve last night didn’t exactly get us into bed early, so I was a bit surprised when I woke up like a bullet before the sun rose this morning. It was 21 degrees. Barefoot on the quiet balcony straight from a warm bed to snap this shot felt, um…a little chilly:

…but totally worth it. Could there be a more perfect way to start the new year, than with the day coming alive like this?

I don’t think we celebrate enough. I think we wait too long. I don’t think we stop to look up enough. I think we could use to have a little more fun. I don’t think we should be so scared of everything. The only thing that’s scary is no more time.

Join me in respecting the clock this year, won’t ya?

I’m throwing a party. Consider this your formal invitation to come rip up the dance floor with me. Hell, maybe we’ll even rip it up naked style, and post it on YouTube! I’m kidding. (Maybe.) It’s time to celebrate because we have the choice to. Watch here for a 2018 daily dose of life outside the drone zone, and get ready to share yours.

What are you celebrating, today?

#StartFresh #TodayIsTheDay #HopToIt

*Ready for a big change this year? Want to organize your time, space, money life…or all three? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.