2016 ~ My Mid -Summer Beauty Must Haves

 I sit on my deck sipping a Bombay Sapphire & tonic with lime enjoying the early evening breeze and listening to the Corinthian Bells wind-chimes while my newly varnished nails dry, I’ve been thinking about the skin care products and cosmetics that I truly rely upon to get me through the heat and humidity of a Virginia summer without looking either melted or overdone. I’ve experimented with more products than I can recall, but this summer I’ve found these products are my “go-to” for everyday:

*  Clarisonic Mia 2 Sonic Cleansing System

* Philosophy Purity All In One Cleanser

      

*  Clinique Clarifying Lotion

* Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinal Treatment

* Aveda Tourmaline Brightening Masque

* Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35

            *   Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

            *  Bobbi Brown Coral Brightening Brick

    

            *  MAC eyebrow pencil

            * Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil " New Lover"

            *  Nars The Multiple Blush “Orgasm”

           *   Urban Decay Glide On Eye Pencil

           * Buxom Eye Shadows: Create Your Own Palette from 40 single

           * Aveda Color Conserve Daily Leave In Protection

           *  Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil

           *  Coola Organic Sunscreen Spray

Resources for these great products:

www.maccosmetics.com

www.aveda.com (or your local Aveda store or hair salon)

www.sephora.com (or your local Sephora)

www.ulta.com (or your local Ulta)

www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com

www.paulaschoice.com

www.coolasuncare.com

www.birchbox.com

www.shopnordstrom.com

www.narscosmetics.com

www.toofaced.com

                                           www.urbandecay.com

                                           www.buxomcosmetics.com

                                           www.philosophy.com

                                           www.dillards.com

                                           www.neimanmarcus.com

Additionally, if you are looking for an inexpensive way to try new cosmetic products, consider subscribing to monthly sample boxes such as Birchbox,  Sephora Play, Julep Maven, Ipsy, Boxy Charm or Essence Beauty Box. The costs range from $10 to $25 per month.  Check our www.mysubscriptionaddiction.com for reviews of nearly every subscription box available.

 

If you have any “must have” summer beauty products please feel free to share!

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Cultivating Empathy is a Beginning to a Solution~

Political discourse has been vitriolic. Rampant shootings of civilians by law enforcement personnel that appear quick to use deadly force has created divisiveness in our nation. Retaliation by unstable individuals target good people in law enforcement who place their lives on the line everyday for safety and welfare of our citizens creates sadness, horror and more schism among we Americans. 

Sociologists, pundits, media talking heads, politicians, civil rights activists, the aggrieved, racists, victims, the privileged and the underprivileged, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Communists, Fascists, the religious right, the secular left, and everyone on Face Book or with an email account has an opinion as to what is wrong with our society – the whys, the history, the fallacies, the misunderstandings, the unjustified fears, the inability of those of different races, religions, sexual orientations, cultural backgrounds, country of origin, or physical / mental abilities to understand the facts or a particular individual’s beliefs. 

What is missing in the discourse? I believe it is an appreciation of and a call to every human in our world to cultivate empathy.

Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another

being is experiencing from within the other being's frame of reference or the ability to place oneself in another's position.

One of the skills that I have had to develop to achieve success in my profession in the insurance industry, which requires me to negotiate resolutions of complex disputes, is that of negotiation. To facilitate a negotiated settlement that involves persons or companies with diametrically opposed viewpoints, a good negotiator or mediator seeks to understand the needs of all parties to the conflict. That requires asking critical questions about the perspective of each party and listening to what each side wants and understanding what each side can live with.  No side gets everything; but every side achieves something.

From my humble perspective empathy is what is required to achieve progress in the fractured world in which we find ourselves. It is critical that empathy be considered with police departments implementing training programs that discourage the use of deadly force unless faced with deadly force. Empathy can motivate at-large communities to work together to cure blight, improve neighborhoods, and to ensure public education provides equal opportunities for all students.  Empathy creates environments of cooperation rather than opposition. Empathy requires us to listen to the viewpoints of others and try to understand another’s perspective.  It is not necessary to completely agree with another’s perspective. But it is necessary to attempt to understand.  Compromise and movement towards solutions are not possible without understanding.

 If I have not walked in another human being’s shoes I cannot fully understand his or her experiences, fears, hopes, dreams or desolation and I cannot expect another to fully understand mine.  But collectively, we as a nation have to try.

The Ladder of Success is Best Climbed by Stepping on the Rungs of Opportunity~Ayn Rand

Just this week I was speaking with a coworker about her dissatisfaction with having no job description for her revised role in the new company formed when a competitor purchased us. I suggested that since each region was utilizing the role differently that she write her own job description and present to her manager. What did she have to lose? She said she was too old and would just deal with whatever happened.  Really!!!!!! To me that is just climbing off the ladder of success and giving up on the chance to create one’s own role.

For me this resonated so much because we are of similar ages and face the same scenarios with the same merged company. I was fortunate to be assigned to a great job, reporting to a manager I like and respect, with duties that really didn’t tax me too much. But I also believed that my talents were not being utilized for the best benefit of the new organization.

Within a short time an opportunity became available that would give me the chance to utilize all of my strengths, develop new skills and learn management techniques that may serve me well in the future. At the very least I will be able to add tools to my toolbox or credentials to my resume. But, this opportunity also presents challenges, the potential for plunging into corporate quick sand, frustration, stress, extra hours, and falling flat on my face. I really don’t expect to face failure, but there is a real possibility that it will not be all daffodils, sunshine, rainbows, kittens and gumdrops.

I accepted the challenge and will start my new role July 1^st. This is truly an exciting opportunity that I enter with my eyes wide open ready to embrace whatever may come.  I will work with a team of dynamic, smart, talented, energetic individuals that I like, admire and respect that want to form a first class region. I am so enthused to be a part of that and have no doubt that collectively we will succeed.

Aerial Yoga ~ Another Delightful New Experience!

This evening I experience my first aerial yoga class at Jala Studio in Winchester, Virginia. I loved it! As soon as I returned home I logged onto the Jala site and signed up for a 5-class pass.

The concept of aerial yoga initially caused me to think of the daring young man on the flying trapeze flying through the air with the greatest of ease! First I noticed there were numerous holes in the ceiling of the studio banded with metal rings. Next there were heavy-duty straps hanging from the ceiling like those used to tow a vehicle out of the mud. I envisioned the men’s gymnastics team struggling on the parallel rings. I knew I didn’t have the strength for that! There was talk of silks! Shorts worn by boxers? The shiny shirts worn by a Kentucky Derby jockey? Embroidery thread? Ropes that Cirque de Soleil contortionists use? Scarves used to bind ones wrist to the bed?  I was incorrect with all preconceived notions.

During a yoga practice Tuesday after work I learned that the aerial classes had begin this week and that all classes the first week were free. Free is my second favorite four-letter word, which follows closely my favorite – wine. I decided to give it a try. I signed up for the Thursday evening class at 7:00pm. It was a commitment! The class is limited to 9 participants because there is limited rigging for the silks.  A few brave souls who’d already given it a try raved about the benefits, the supported inversions, and the relaxation.

Tonight’s class was fabulous! The silks are actually long pieces of silk fabric that resemble extra wide curtain scarves, which are clasped to the straps hanging from the ceiling like a hammock or a swing. Silk is one of nature’s strongest fabrics, and these silks can support more than 1000 pounds. We were lead through a series of yoga poses using the scarves for support. I was surprised to discover how utilizing the silks seemed to mimic movement in water or in a weightless environment – providing excellent toning and strengthening without pressure on the joints. And it was fun! We had a full class and we laughed joyously like children. I actually felt like a child again hanging upside down, swinging to and fro, supported by the straps and silks. And the final relaxation or shivasana at the conclusion of the session was sublime!

Once again I’ve discovered how trying something new can breathe new life into my experienced body and soul. I feel invigorated, energized and thrilled that I’ve found another way to nurture my mind and body.

Namaste!

Celebrating Blessings ~ Happy Birthday to my Husband Todd!

Today is my husband’s 56^th birthday. He is out of town on business. We’ve both been pre-occupied with work and the mundane distractions of life.  When he called me this morning to remind me that the gutter guy from Handyman Connection would be arriving at 8:00am to replace a gutter, I forgot to wish him Happy Birthday.

 

From the moment I signed onto my work computer I looked at the date blazing in the upper right hand corner of my monitor that flashed a bright red reminder that this was June 8^th; yet it didn’t register in my brain and I neglected to wish him a happy birthday during our chats throughout the day.  It was not until 9:00pm after I’d finished a long day, he had eaten carry out pizza in his hotel room, and I called to say goodnight that it struck me. I had forgotten Todd’s birthday!

 

Fortunately, since we first met on February 7, 2005, we’ve celebrated each day as if it were a special event. We met at the right time in our lives to appreciate one another. Had we met years earlier we would not have connected. It took years of life lessons, learning from past experiences, acknowledging truths about ourselves, refining expectations, setting boundaries, accepting our differences (like his loathsome taste in music), appreciating our shared loves and interests, and making the decisions to give one another space to be who we need to be to create a joyful marriage.

I feel blessed and filled with gratitude that we have established this connection and acceptance of one another. When we spoke this evening and I realized I’d neglected to wish him a happy birthday I suddenly felt filled with joy that he’d not pouted or criticized or expressed disappointment. Instead he gently reminded me, accepted my tardy expressions of love, and let it go. I am filled with gratitude for my good fortune to have such a gem in my life.

 

Thank you my dear spousal unit and happy birthday!