One made me laugh, one made me cry…

Posted by random olio

I only partially watched the Oscars. I was at a neighbors for the night and found that interacting, talking, and eating was much more fun than watching the Oscars. I was a bit bored by Seth MacFarlane too. Later in the evening, we found out the recording my neighbor had set up ended before the Oscars were over, so we actually missed the last three awards (and the ones I was actually curious to watch). So when I found out later that Jennifer Lawrence tripped on the stairs I wanted to learn more about it, see her dress, and of course find out what happened. What poise, charisma, and sassiness Jennifer brings to this world. She took a not fun situation, made the best of it, and even made it funny. That will do more for her brand then walking up the stairs in that big ass dress! If you have not seen it yet, watch her authentic and real response to reporters.

Now are you ready to cry? Not tears of sadness, tears streaming down your face because you cannot stop laughing. A friend shared this on Facebook. I watched it once and laughed so hard I cried. I had Chris watch it and I laughed again even harder. Sometimes we just need to see the wonder that comes so natural to folks when shit happens. You know, because sometimes shit just happens.

Authenticity brings inspiration

Posted by random olio

Emily has inspired me again.

There have been many days when I have not been inspired and had no clue what to write for my blog post. On other days I have published a post and felt timid about putting it out in the blogosphere. It might have felt half-baked to me, or that the topic would not interest anyone, or be inspiring to others. Many times those are the blogs where I will receive a note or comment that my blog post was just what that individual needed to hear that day, or that it brought up memories from their life and my post meant a lot to them.

That is what keeps me going. So when I read Emily’s blog, I was inspired by her honesty, bluntness, and authenticity. Emily shares that she has writers block, but then captures her present moment in such a raw and real way. It happens to so many of us, whether it be writing a blog post, finishing a painting, or coming up with that grand idea for a work campaign. Emily’s post reminds me that we need to be present in our stuck-ness. Stay open and see what comes out of it. You never know – you might find just the idea you need.

Whenever I am in that place where I am stuck, I change gears. It might mean that I go and do something else. I find that often I go for a run, organize, or clean. When I let go of the answer I need, and just focus on what I am doing in that moment, I often find just the answer I need. Sometimes it clears my writer’s block, or inspires me with new ideas. Sometimes it just gets me out of a murky thought pattern, and allows a different story in my mind. Rather than sitting in that stuck place, do something different. Like Emily did, be real with where your thoughts bring you. That is authenticity.

Emily I hope your creativity traveled back to you. I have a hunch that it has returned.

Do you know about VAWA?

Posted by random olio

VAWA is the Violence Against Women Act. Keep reading. It is important to know for your daughters, wife, sisters, niece, and friends. “The Violence Against Women Act is a United States federal law passed in 1994, reauthorized in 2000, again in 2005, and is up for reauthorization this year.” In my post last Friday I talked about One Billion Rising. A campaign that raises awareness calls an end to violence against women. Last week, the Senate passed the VAWA act providing $659 million over five years for some domestic violence programs. Next week the House of Representatives will vote on VAWA. That means there is still time to communicate with your Representative. This can mean a local rape crisis center stays open. It can mean women’s shelters in your community stay open. It can mean that another woman is safe.

This is an issue that is near and dear to me.

Please support VAWA. It is not something we should take for granted. We need to do what we can to continue to raise awareness and not assume that because VAWA was in effect in the past, that it will be passed next week. We all can remember presidential elections that we thought, oh it is a shoo in, and things happened differently. As I think about the many recent events where we have seen violence in general, Newtown, Connecticut, Colorado Theater shootings, the list goes on, I wonder about the violence happening to women that we do not see on the nightly news.

This Huffington Post article states:

“On average, four to five women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends each day in the United States as a result of domestic violence. Over 200,000 people are sexually assaulted each year in this country.”

Not a statistic we want to think about, but one we should ponder. This is a no brainer for me. This should be part of being a world citizen, honoring and protecting all humans. It is 2013, we should no longer have to talk about violence against women. We should not have to differentiate between men and women. The reality is we do have to fight for this initiative. Speak up. Let your voice be heard.

Has Pinterest started a cultural shift?

Posted by random olio

Some of my friends have become Martha Stewart moms. On Facebook I see photos of the amazing Valentine’s Day cards they have made for their children to take to school. They are clever and creative cards. They completely blow away the cards we pulled out of a box, sorted through, selected our favorite for the friends we liked the most, signed our name, folded, and shared. With the addition of Pinterest to the social media scene, I see moms outdoing themselves from the plethora of ideas and possibilities in front of them to create fun ideas.

Blast back to the past (yes to the 80’s) when the triangle on your butt was the most important thing. Were you wearing name brand jeans? Were they Guess or a knock off brand? Many times your place at school and in a clique of friends had to do with what you wore or had. Sad, yes, but true.

my Pinterest boards…

Has there been a cultural shift? Is Pinterest part of that shift?

Yes. By giving moms (and no I am not leaving you out dads, I just see more of these photos from my girl-friends), easy access to ideas that they can “pin” to a bulletin board and pull out during holidays, school events, etc. With direct access to how to execute on a project, we have born an organic DIY revolution of moms to become very creative and industrious. It has brought back my youth, and it is the new thing. I can remember many times when my mom made my clothes and I was embarrassed by it (there was no brand label). Many of the gifts from my childhood were homemade, and I hated it. If only I could go back to that time and appreciate those special moments more.

So, thank you, Pinterest for the cultural shift you have brought to homes. You’ve empowered moms to be creative, try new things, and hopefully in the process they have included their kids in the make-your-own Valentine Pinterest style.

One Billion Rising

Posted by random olio

Yesterday you might have received flowers or chocolates or gone out to dinner. A day of sharing love. I have never really been a fan of Valentine’s Day. Yes, I believe in love, doting, and pampering, but I think it should happen every day of the year, not a random day in February. What I do like about February 14 is that for the past 15 years, groups of women have come together to stand for women (V-Day). Events like “The Vagina Monologues” that Eve Ensler started on February 14 many years ago. This year, when researching which initiative I wanted to support, tears filled my eyes. I found “One Billion Rising.” The first few lines on the Girl Effect website says:

“One in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. With a global population of seven billion, that breaks down to one billion abused women. On 14 February the One Billion Rising campaign will call for an end to such violence.”

One billion. I am one of those one billion women. I am a survivor. You probably know more of those one billion than you realize. It could have happened to your best friend, mother, sister, cousin, or coworker.

While we rise together as a force, we need to collaborate together so the number goes from one in three to ZERO. We need to end the violence against women. This is a personal, local, national, and global issue. Violence against women will touch every single one of those one billion women for the rest of their life. One billion is shocking. Absolutely shocking, horrifying, unimaginable. My tears are ones of anguish, pain, shock, sadness. How did this happen? How is this possible?

I know it is February 15 and I am a little late to share this information, but the message needs to continue to be shared. Forget chocolates and flowers. They do not matter if a woman is given flowers on the February 14 and beaten on February 15. We need to dance, rise, educate, and raise awareness for violence against women.

Please share this message widely. Join One Billion Rising.

This link covers events that happened on February 14 worldwide.