A New Dawn

Good Morning Ladies!

Today’s message is simply this: Yes, we can!

Not only does that message apply to our new administration, but to each of us. So whenever you’re doubting yourself, your power, your dreams or your decisions just remember – Yes, you can!

Now roll up your sleeves and get to work

The long and winding road

It is hard for me to remember that there is bitter cold elsewhere in the country. I saw the footage of the passengers being rescued off the sinking plane in the Hudson River (what a story that is – amazing!), the trains derailing in Chicago, and the ice and snow sweeping the mid-west. My own mom and sister live in Denver and I hear their tales of sub-zero temperatures and snow. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I woke up last night and opened my balcony doors to sleep. My room was too hot and our air conditioning isn’t working. It is January 16th and I’m sleeping with the windows open to cool down the room. What a luxury Los Angeles can be in the winter. Especially this winter. Because while the country seems to be experiencing record lows, I think L.A. is experiencing record highs. Mid-80’s every day this week. Its been warm.

So I’m looking forward to a long, warm weekend. Even if the long weekend doesn’t include travel, as I’d hoped, it will include travling around the city. Hopefully to the beach, and on some hikes with Labrador, and to the new exhibit at The Getty.

With Monday being the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, I was reflecting on the man and his influence. I was trying to think of a really great quote to put up today in honor of his life, but I didn’t want the traditional “I have a dream” speech. Not that it isn’t wonderful, but I wanted to know him and what he said in a way outside of what’s taught in school. So I did some searching and found this wonderful quote excerpted from a speech. I like it because it reminds us all to walk in faith and purpose; we don’t need to see the end. It’s a healthy detachment from the outcome at the top of the stairs and to just start walking.

So whatever your weekend plans, whatever your goals for this year, take the step. Take it now. Action is the great catalyst. Thinking can overrule and outweigh sometimes when action is all we need. Take those first steps.

“Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Rainbow Country

I came home last night to a pitch black apartment. The power was out and after a phone call to my landlord and then the power company, I got the news it would be a few hours. The good news is that they would come look. The bad news was that until then, no laptop, no internet, no lights for reading or writing, no stereo for dancing, nadda.

Without my usual comforting  companions to work through the night with I had a lot of quiet time. Actually, that’s funny because my Goddess card yesterday said “Quiet Time.” I just made that connection. Ha! Anyway, I spent the evening trying to meditate and pray and be open to some answers. I’ve been feeling restless again. The palmist told me everything I needed was here, in Los Angeles. Some days I just don’t see it. I’m trying to see it; but I don’t necessarily. I am yearning for a change, some kind of mix-up. An extended trip out of the U.S., a great and well funded writing gig to present itself, some new opportunities, a weekend away, a new job. . .

I feel ready. I’ve been working at it for several years now, and very intensely for the last year. I’m ready for Duchess to start taking off and becoming my business. I’m ready to find a sample maker to manufacture my backpack. I’m ready for travel again. I’m ready for love and romance and adventure again. But last night especially, I was ready for the power to come back on!

I called around 10pm to check again with the power company and the operator told me the crew had stopped by and checked the meter. Someone had turned off the switch to our apartment (he couldn’t say malicious or accidental – but certainly with purpose).

Me: So how do I turn it back on?

Him: Walk to the side of the building and open up the meter panels.

Me: Are you going to talk me through it? I don’t know how.

Him: Yes. It’s easy but I can talk you through it. Grab a flashlight.

Me: I don’t have a flashlight.

Him: Young lady, this is earthquake country. You need a radio, a flashlight and extra batteries in the house at all times. Will you do that?

Me: Yes (thinking, earthquake country? I’d rather be in Bob Marley’s world and have the power operator say, it’s Rainbow Country, grab your bag of skittles).

And so I used my lifeline option to call a “friend” at the power company who showed me how to restore light into my life. And who helped me wise up a little on the emergency preparedness. By the way, it was simple, just a flip of a switch outside on the meter. I even said, “It’s that easy to turn on?” And the operator responded, “Yes, but it’s that easy to turn off too.” I felt like we were discussing philosophy. Some throw back to a Nietzsche conversation.

The experience helped to put the darkness in perspective for me. So today’s quote is a Swedish proverb about facing fear and its illusions. I hope it helps to keep things in perspective and to help you turn on the light. It can be that easy.

“Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.”

Duchess Digest Wednesday

I enjoyed a fabulous, fun and inspiring dinner last night with “That Happened to Me” founder Vanessa Torres. What a delight she is! I am so appreciative of her spirit, her purpose and her wonderful light. Oh – and her wise dog-loving disposition! What a gem. She and I are up to some planning for a great new idea – so ladies of Los Angeles, be prepared!

Be sure to check out “That Happened to Me”- it’s on the blog roll list of loved links on the right ——> 

Vanessa has really great resources and writes articles for a Female Entrepreneur Blog; so check it out!

And while you’re out there looking around, playing the field (don’t worry my blog won’t know you’re checking out all your options ) be sure to read this week’s article called “What you Speak is Seeking You”on the Single Minded Woman website (also linked on the blog roll favorites to the right ———>). Last year was like running a marathon for me. I’m glad I did it, but damn it was hard. I feel a bit bloodied, beat up and tired; but that sense of accomplishment is priceless and leads to the kind of happiness I’m starting to enjoy now.

http://blogs.singlemindedwomen.com/

Here’s to an inspiring, adventurous Wednesday full of fabulous information and reading. Long may you reign Duchesses!

*Postscript: I really did run a marathon. The Park City Mid-Mountain Marathon in September 2007. Nothing like 26 miles of single track trail running through the gorgeous Aspen forests from Deer Valley Ski Resort through Park City Mountain Resort and ending at the base of The Canyons Resort. I got worked; but finished. I was 5th for women in my age group with a time of 4 hours and 48 minutes.

That one thing

Today’s thought reminds me of the R.M. Rilke quote I love about “Maybe one day you will live your way into the answer.” The only things I believe I’ve learned about life so far are that timing is everything and that nothing is ever quite how you expected. My mom has raised me with the idea that timing is everything, with jobs, with relationships, with opportunities – and I believe that to be very true. And with expectations, well, they can be the burden the breaks the camel’s back in relationships, the imagined picture that distracts from the beauty of right now and, often, they are the wall that obstructs our view of happiness. There is an importance to goals and  vision, but the death of those two ideals, to me, if when you seal them up with an expectation of what they will look like. I think I’ve learned to hold my visions loosely, so that the goals are obtained but the expectations don’t blind me from the reality of a beautiful world.

I’ve made an effort to try to just go with the way my life is flowing. As I’ve made a real effort to be where I am vs. wishing things were another way, I’ve found myself much calmer and happier. You know I’m always honest, so it’s not that I’m Little Miss Sunshine all the time (anyone who knows me can testify to that!), but I can live and breathe easier when I’m practicing a detachment. However poorly; I’m practicing.

So today’s quote from Marjorie William’s helps to remind me that – the thing I’m here to learn is to love and to live. Not to answer some big, catch-all question to solve all of life’s fears and expectations.

“I finally realized my task was not to figure out the one answer, but to earn how to live.”

Skipping along and feeling groovy

Yesterday was the MOST BEAUTIFUL day here in Los Angeles. I really appreciate the generally good weather here, but yesterday Los Angeles took it up to 11 (why not just make 10 the highest? Because ours go to 11 – that’s one better then 10). It was in the mid-80’s, not a cloud in the sky, and there with a soft, warm wind. I had my group for a few hours in the afternoon and the day was so beautiful we met outside in our hostess’s back yard, complete with real grass, trees, a rope swing, rocks, the whole deal. When you live in the urban jungle and are a tortured Taurus soul, as I am, any opportunity you get to sit in a real back yard of a real house with space, quiet and clean air is a treasure. It was heaven. And as always, our group got me back on track and looking  forward. Onward and upward.

After we finished around 2:30 I was going to go to a Bodhi tree workshop, but it was simply too nice. Again, maybe had the day been a 10 I would’ve gone to the workshop, but the day was an 11, so I had to step it up and be outside. I took a drive with my roomie back from Monrovia to Topanga Beach through Topanga Canyon, which was a stunning and relaxing drive. That canyon makes me want a clutch and a secure driving environment where I could race without fear of rounding the bend and taking out a slow moving Subaru. But I digress. We parked at Topanga Beach and despite our non-beach ready outfits, we walked through the rocks and surf in the freezing cold pacific. We sat on the beach and watched the sun set while it’s final rays warmed our skin. We read. It was beautiful.

There have been moments in my life, always in nature, that have felt so beautiful I’ve thought they belonged in a painting or a movie. Last night was one of them. Walking the beach, barefoot with a book in one hand and my shoes in the other, the wind softly playing with my hair and the tide lapping over my toes in the sand, it was stunning. And all of it with the perfect golden light of the setting sun. It was a magical evening. I felt the same way this morning when I walked Betty and looked up at the sky to see the just waning nearly full moon, silver and bright in the early saturated blue sky, with just the black outline of the Hollywood Hills and palm trees to provide contrast.

In the words of Louis Armstrong, “And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”

I hope you have such a magical Monday – “lunedi” in Italian. Sounds like there is luna in there, which is the moon. Gotta love the Italians. Actually, I prefer French, but it’s a beautiful word anyway, Lunedi.  Today’s quote is more of a mediation than a quote, from Rumi, about the value of quiet and being still.

“Your old life was a frantic running from silence. The speechless full moon comes out now.”

Secret Single Behavior

Do you remember an episode of Sex and the City where Carrie introduces the idea of her “Secret Single Behavior?” I realized last night I have a few secret behaviors of my own, unbeknown to anyone until now. And I did all three last night. The first, is that I love sitting down and eating a home cooked dinner while watching Giada De Laurentiis. I love her. She is so damn cute and happy and playful and cooks the yummiest food. I think I have a small obsession with her! If you don’t know who she is – check out her website or set your tivo to record her on Food Network: (http://www.giadadelaurentiis.com/page/page/show?id=2325794%3APage%3A226).

The second, is I like to dance and sing in my room. I have to be alone. I rarely subject others to the one-two punch combo of my dancing and my singing simultaneously. Because baby, I go all out. We’re talking Neil Diamond “Cherry, Cherry” sing-a-longs at the top of my lungs while doing my best Cameron Diaz circa Charlie’s Angelsbooty shake dance in the mirror (I have three doors of closeted mirrors – which is about how much space I need for my booty shakin). It is fun, it is fabulous, I even get Labrador all hyped up and dancing.

And finally, I love to fall asleep watching Pride & Prejudice. I have an obsession with that movie (both the BBC Series w/ Colin Firth and the new movie with Kiera Knightly – which is the current version in the DVD player). My mother raised me on Jane Austin so I’ve had an obsession with the books since childhood. I’m usually a fall asleep reading type ‘a gal – but on the rare occasion I treat myself to falling asleep to the beauty of the cinematography, musical scores and story of that wonderful movie.

And that, my friends, is a look at how I spend my enjoyable nights off. You can see now why I would chose to stay home so often. But alas, my healer told me I have become too sequestered, too comfortable in isolation. I have let my hermit nature take over and he has advised me to get out in the world. So I had dinner Wednesday  with a friend and am going tonight to see my friend Jason’s opening performance in a play. 

One last thing. I love reading my horoscope. I don’t swear my life by it or anything, but I think they’re fun and fascinating. So if you feel like reading what’s in store for you and the world at large, check out this great spot on the Omega Institute website. I love all things Omega, and I was particularly impressed with their horoscope bit. Maybe because I’m a Taurus and this month’s Taurus bit he talks about writing – so I felt really connected to it! (http://www.eomega.org/omega/enews/horoscopes/?source=ENEWS)

I hope that some fun and rest are ahead for your weekend. I’ll send you blissfully into this great day and weekend with a quote from Aristotle.

“Happiness belongs to the self-sufficient.”

*It’s my niece’s birthday today – so Happy 8th Birthday Monkey! I love you!

Bed is Bliss!

Thursday’s are always a good day for me because when the alarm goes off at O’dark-thirty, I know tomorrow is the last day between me and sleeping in on the weekend. Ahh . . . bliss. I love my bed. I really do, I think we’re having a very intense love affair. When I crawl into bed I find myself actually making little grunts and deep sighs of pleasure. I like to slip between the sheets and spread my toes and fingers out so I can feel all the cool spots on the linen. I like to feel the weight of my soft down duvet over me. I like the give of my pillows, not too absorbent of my head’s weight but soft enough to sink into gently. Yes, crawling into bed is coming home . . . ahhhhh!

Especially lately. I am appreciative that my job continues to remain. The biggest round of job cuts is in February and I’ve had so much time to think about losing mine that I no longer feel scared or upset. I will either get a new one here in L.A., or I’ll leave. I hear Guatemala can be nice this time of year. Anyway, as jobs begin to be cut around the office, more and more work is falling on my plate. It’s hard to think there is a recession happening right now because I’m the busiest I”ve ever been at work. I’m now up to supporting four executives (I was hired back in May to support one), doing event planning for our major tri-annual business conference and yesterday took over all of our commercial property divisions political and charitable contributions and marketing. Good lord. I could spend 15 hours a day in my office and not catch up. So bed is bliss!

Today’s thought goes along with the idea that, the times, they are a changing. Sometimes when we face challenges it ends up being a blessing in disguise. Often because we end up acquiring new skills that help us down the road. In my case I figure if I can balance this much alone – I’m going to run one hell of an awesome business with only minor help. My entrepreneurial skills improve with each event planned and marking campaign wrapped up.

I hope you will continue to joyfully absorb all the new skills you are learning from your always changing lives.

“Adjusting to a new path and a new direction will require new qualities and strengths, and these qualities are always exactly what we need to acquire in order to accomplish the great things ahead in our life.”

 

Duchess Digest Wednesday

Ladies, all the ladies . . . louder now. .

It’s Duchess Digest Day over on the Single Minded Woman website. This week’s article is called “The Woman behind the Man behind the Curtain” (for all of you who remember that Wizard of OZ reference – pay no attention to the man behind the curtain). It is about taking some tips for increasing your efficiency and sanity around the office. Check it out at:

http://blogs.singlemindedwomen.com/

Or if you are referencing back to the site later, you can view it and all the Duchess archives at:

http://blogs.singlemindedwomen.com/index.php/category/duchess-digest/

And one final thing this morning. Hearing from you ladies is the highlight of my day, nay, my week. I love writing this blog and trying to develop the Duchess material. I do. I really want some other women to gain help, understanding or inspiration through what I’m doing and what I’ve done (been through, etc.). So when I get emails and comments from you ladies, most of whom I’ve never met, saying your dealing with similar things, or getting inspiration from the daily duchess emails or the blog – it really is the joy of my life! Keep on rocking and sharing ladies – you rule! You’re what motivates me to get up early, early in the morning and write every day.

I wish you all so much love, adundance, success and fun in this New Year! Life is meant to be fun, joyous and adventurous – always remember that when you’re putting yourselves out there and tapping in to your true potential.

long may you reign!

 

A New Year

There is always a struggle for me with this blog to walk the fine line between honest (which can sometimes be a bit gloomy) and hopeful. I remain hopeful. I am not always an optimist but I’m working to retrain my brain. And while I’ve always been sarcastic, I think irreverence can have a fun, questioning tone vs. just flat out saying – I feel awful.

I told my friend yesterday that I feel like a prize fighter in about the 35th round. The hits keep on coming, and I feel pretty beat up and tired, but I’m still standing. My Indian healer who did my palm reading told me that I was going to be releasing a lot of old energy to make way for all the new opportunities in ‘09. If he’s as right about the new stuff as he’s been about releasing the old, I’m on for one fantastic and decadent year. So I got that going for me, which is nice (Caddyshack anyone?).

My friend sent me this quote and it seems particularly relevant as we start the new year. It’s by T.S. Eliot. Time for a new language. I knew my French classes are starting again this week, so I’m plenty familiar with the ackwardness and anxiety of learning something new.

 

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice.                   And to make an end is to make a beginning.”