practical and meaningful

my one and only

I always  wanted only one . After she was born, my husband and I would talk about it and we were both good with one. Twelve years later and I know it was the right decision for us. 

I truly believe that having more kids was not my path to more happiness. I love my one and I have never regretted not having more children. I love each new phase and I welcome her growing up. She is pretty good at it.

Of course I worry about all the normal stuff. Will she be a good person? Will she find her way in the world? Is she  lonely? So far, so good. She likes to share. She has good friends. She is close to both of us. She seems to be compatible with life.

I am grateful for the parts of life that favor a smaller family -ease with travel, saving for college, quality time, organization, and simplicity.

It is a personal choice - a deep knowing  in your bones of what is right for you.  I love my one and only and I know it was right for us.

 

 

 

 

identify your bliss and make that your life's work

Ask yourself these questions. What motivates me? What am I good at? What is important. What gives my life meaning?

My list is varied but you can see parts of it shining through every thing I do.

Building things. Shaping people's experiences. Providing jobs. Feeding people. Knowing. Working hard. Loving hard. Organization. Seeking. Documenting. Sampling. Doing good. Creating spaces. Encouraging others. Standing back. Family. Details.  Friends. Meeting people. Making a difference. Believing. Soul work. No regrets. For the long haul.

Identify your bliss and make that your life's work.

coffee+food....practical & meaningful

The Pavoni is a longtime treasure of mine that I have carted around and used worldwide and the mixmaster was my grandmothers (she was one of the best cooks I knew). I have held tight to both of these for years, and now I am happy to share them with patrons of the cafe as our mascots!  I just need a + sign to put between them!  love and love. coffee+food=love

room to breathe

Room to breathe, allows you room to breathe.

middle aged...how did that happen?

I was basically a kid (25 years old) when I met my husband. I was living in  a loft in downtown los angeles - pushing my steel bathtub down the hall to the community bathroom, traveling the world taking photos, and making plans for how I wanted my life to play out. I spent days in the dark room, hours gardening on the roof, and money on things such as sunday night dinner parties on the roof.

Almost twenty years has passed and I am in awe of how life has played out and how fast the time has flown. We were laughing the other day because I suddenly realized I am no longer a kid and that we are middle aged....how did that happen?  We have built houses and responsibility and college funds and retirement funds, we own businesses, our daughter is a tween and i still feel exactly the same in my heart as I did when I was 25.  I feel the years on my body and I mark the years in my body of work, my heart carries the weight of life, but my spirit still feels 25.

 

time stands still in travel

5.5 hours on the plane with no internet, no email, no phone calls. Nowhere to be, no car to drive, no one expecting me to respond. 

I have never enjoyed being on a plane as much as this one.

Lately, my head has been overstuffed with details, decisions, stress, business, life…. and I have barely had time to think my own thoughts.

On this plane, I have listened to my music, written blog posts, taken a nap, had a picnic, and watched a movie.

I literally could turn right around and fly home, and land feeling refreshed, ignited, and satiated.  Sometimes a little down time is all you need to start to feel like yourself again. Add in some music and some rest – and you have a vacation.

time stands still in travel....

Download 03 You Are the Everything

things i love most about my husband

it is father's day and i am grateful for all these things about my husband.

this is the day we met, he is directing FIRST DATE on my roof at the loft.

MY HUSBAND Temple....

he does the right thing. he knows how to pack a car. he loves nature. he is not obsessed with watching sports. he is an amazing father. he respects me. he is diciplined. he sings. he is just geeky enough and just cool enough. his blue eyes. he is so smart. he loves to travel. he is egoless. he loves to cook. he can fix anything. he loves my cooking. he lets me fix things too. he is a great driver. he is a good friend. he likes adventure. he is funny. he is practical. he loves pizza and great wine. he respects our daughter. he has a great family. he is strong. he is flexible. he has integrity. he is fair. he has a great work ethic. he is sweet. he is a wonderful husband.  happy father's day!

on our wedding day in 1997 driving the SCOUT at the farm in Texas.

at Petit St Vincent - his friend Stevie owns the island!

Entrepreneur's are turning the economy around without going to business school.

I call myself an accidental entrepreneur. I never would have expected that I would own a business - or three!  I am an artist who loves to travel and document the world with my camera. I spent my twenties traveling light with very low overhead and freedom to go as I pleased.  I always supported myself, paid my way through college, and was financially responsible. I started working and making my own money in 4th grade as a score keeper. Soon after, I started working for a family realtor friend - helping her run open houses and also cleaned her house, paid her bills, and did her laundry. After college, I bought a one way ticket to New York City and moved there (I had never been!) I started working young and I have a good work ethic.

I started my first company fifteen years ago and grew it organically. Two years ago I bought an existing business (with an SBA loan) and expanded it by opening a second location. This year I will open a cafe adjacent to the Hollywood Art Studio.  I truly believe that if you can start/grow/expand a business during a down economy and succeed - you will make it in the long run.

My college degree is in Humanities and Photojournalism. I do not have an MBA. There have been a few times where I have wondered if my businesses would be different had I gone to business school. Would I have been scared away from being an Entrepreneur if I had spent two years learning how to be in business and came out of it owning a hunded grand? I do not like having debt and I know I would have gotten a job to pay off the debt - rather than making my own way and starting my business.   Love this graphic from  Tony Shin and his creative team!

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Affirmations

When I love everything around me, I am constantly inspired.
When I have money in the bank, I am more able to think, feel, and live life.
When I invite people into my home, I am more connected and loving in the world.
When I am taking care of myself and eating right and exercizing, I have more to give.
Creating jobs and making money connects me to my community and my purpose.
Appreciate your life, find meaning in everything you do.
Eliminate what does not support your true self.
Love your life, work hard, play hard, be AWAKE.

painting by Adele Sypesteyn

Happy New Year from Practical & Meaningful

Practically speaking, here are some resolutions for the new year.  Meaningfully speaking, here is what I loved most about last year. 

PRACTICAL Resolutions for 2012 - Tighten up my systems, simplify, & be more organized. Exercise regularly.  Take more photos. See more movies. Spend time with the people I love. Enjoy more music.

MEANINGFUL What I loved most about 2011 - My Think Days. our Valentine's Dinner Party. the movie Crazy, Stupid, Love. My daughter singing at David's 40th birthday party. Bring your dogs and parents to ART CAMP day. Moving Crafty. Hiking the Stairs in Culver City. All the great press I got through HARO. Being a moMPreneur. The Egg Project. my TWEEN.  Going to PSV.

Practical and Meaningful. Resolution and Review. Action and Appreciation. Work and Play. Friendships and Friends. Places and Memories. Systems and Recall.  Happy New Year!