Through Amber Colored Glasses

We are all born to run- no matter how fast or slow.

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:58:12 -0400

We are all born to run- no matter how fast or slow.

Whatever.: Boston

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:01:37 -0400

Ezra Klein gets at the heart of what running means to people, and, as a consequence, why what happened yesterday in Boston was particularly difficult for those who consider themselves runners.

We don’t train countless hours and log countless miles for any awards or titles or huge paydays. We…

Thank you. You summed up exactly what’s been on my heart that I’ve been unable to articulate since I saw the first tweet about the bombings.

Hollywood Glamour Shot Experience

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 12:47:00 -0400

A few weeks ago, I spent an afternoon with my friend Andy at Evolve Spa to have some Hollywood Glamour shots done. We’ve been talking about doing it for a long time, and our schedules finally aligned. Prior to the big day, I reviewed some websites for inspiration. Andy has been working on perfecting this style of photo for several months, drawing inspiration from George Hurrell, a photographer who basically invented the Hollywood Glamour shot. Andy has grown comfortable with the style and is launching a new segment of his business to offer these types of shots to the public.

Here’s how it worked:

I reviewed the websites and chose a few styles I liked. Andy’s project coordinator, Suzy, sent the shots to the folks at Evolve for inspiration. She also talked me through clothing choices to maximize the look. I chose a plain black dress, so the focus could remain on hair and makeup. The day of the shoot, I showed up at Evolve with clean hair and face. The stylists were wonderful. The hair portion took about an hour as she rolled my hair up hot rollers, then I went for makeup. I don’t wear much makeup on a day-to-day basis, so this was a new experience for me. They even airbrushed the foundation and eyebrows on! After makeup, I went back to hair to be styled. She removed the rollers, teased me up and applied a ton of hairspray. I changed clothes and headed to the studio Andy had set up in another room. The shoot took only 20 minutes, and Andy walked me through all the poses and coached me through facial expressions. The entire process took 2.5 hours.

Andy turned the photos around in less than 24 hours and I was astounded. What a wonderful transformation. What a fun experience.

If you want to see more samples of Andy’s work or schedule a session, check out his website.

Were the Feminists Wrong?

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:34:50 -0500

I can hear the collective gasps from many of my friends. Bear with me. I am currently reading “The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands” by Dr. Laura. I picked it up in the Kindle store for $1.99, so I thought I’d check it out.

Dr. Laura contends that the feminist movement has done nothing but destroy marriages by empowering women to “have it all” at the expense of their families. I know. It seems extreme- it’s counter-intuitive.

Can we have it all? A successful career, various volunteer roles and activities, AND a fulfilling marriage? We’ve been taught to believe we can.

Dr. Laura also argues that the feminist movement, in pursuit of having it all, has created a generation of self-centered, selfish, and sometimes downright mean women who treat their husbands like crap and don’t appreciate them.

I have to admit that this was hard to read. Just as many of her female callers fight back when she makes these claims, I felt a wave of resistance sweeping over me. How dare she! I should be able to have it all. That’s what I’ve been taught since I was a little girl. I could do anything I wanted to do. I can be anything I want to be. I can have anything I want to have.

So I worked hard to fight back my internal resistance. I read. I listened. I absorbed. And, staring into the mirror, knowing full well my own marriage has seen rocky times, I had to ask myself, were the feminists wrong?

How many times have I made my husband feel less important than my job, my volunteer roles, my extracurricular activities? More times than I can count.

What are your thoughts?

2013 Resolutions

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:14:17 -0500

As I explained in last year’s Resolutions post, I am one of “those.” I make resolutions each year… sometimes they roll over year after year and sometimes new ones roll on. I still believe the acts of self reflection and goal setting are successes in themselves.

Looking back on last year’s resolutions, I went about 50/50.

I did read more. My goal was 2-3 books per month and I came in at 2.75 per month. Here’s the full list- 33 books in all.

Sadly, I didn’t learn to knit. I met with Ashley once to learn, but never followed through- this one is staying on the list this year.

I did go the gym regularly, though not 4-5 times per week. I averaged 3 times per week, but I did become a runner this year, logging 154 miles.

My 4th resolution last year was to be more aware… of myself and others. I struggled with this one, but I think I managed to do better than I have in the past.

Number five was a biggie- Focus on my priorities. I stepped away from a few volunteer roles and a few freelance opportunities in order to focus on those things that really matter to me, but I still have work to do here.

And lastly, be a better wife. I made strides in improving my communication, but I still have a long way to go in becoming a better partner.

2013’s Resolutions

1- Read more: specifically 4-5 books per month, 48-60 books total. This will require less TV time and a more concentrated effort to fill down time with reading. If you have book suggestions, send them my way!

2- Learn to knit. I can do it this year. I know I can.

3- Keep focusing on running, which includes training for and running the Indy Mini. I have signed up, so now I just need to push myself to keep training. I’d also like to hit 430 miles next year. If I run at least 3 miles, 3 times per week, every week for a year, I can hit this goal!

4- Be more aware… of myself and of others. I’m keeping this one on the list because it needs constant attention.

5- Focus on my priorities. This one stays too. I am still doing too much. I’d rather do a few things really well than many things just so-so. And until I get my next resolution right, this one needs to stay.

6- Be a better wife. I am still too defensive. I am still too selfish. I have lots of work to do on communication. I am taking it one day at a time.

Happy New Year, friends. I’d love to hear about your resolutions!

Today's Note from the Universe- a great message heading into the New Year

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 09:29:40 -0500

In all things, Amber, always and forever, simply wish the best for all involved, without stating what you think that is. And then, whatever does happen, no matter what happens, know that it was.

All the best,

The Universe

thefrogman: We’ve come so far. This is pretty rad. Pretty...

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:09:14 -0500

thefrogman:

We’ve come so far.

This is pretty rad. Pretty funny to think folks carried around some of those HUGE phones.

Working on the communication thing every day.

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:59:44 -0500

Working on the communication thing every day.

Today's Inspiration from the Dalai Lama

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:51:16 -0500

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered:

“Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

Thanks for sharing this today Jenna!

Boundaries

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 09:55:07 -0500

As a follow up to yesterday’s post, let’s talk about boundaries.

It may have sounded like I was blaming social media for feeling alienated. That’s not true. Social media is not to blame. I am. When I say I was sucked into the social media vortex, it means I didn’t shut my phone off when I got home in order to spend quality time with my husband; I didn’t put it away when having dinner with friends because I was too worried I’d miss a Tweet or a Facebook comment; I didn’t look my co-workers in the eye when they were speaking to me because I had to keep one eye on my social stream. Yes, these are regular occurrences. Yes, typing them makes me realize just how ridiculous it is.

I didn’t set boundaries. And guess what? I’ve never been good at setting them. It’s not just social media. It extends into every aspect of my life, and I can trace it back as long as I can remember. When I was in high school, I was obsessed with sports. They consumed me, pushing out everything and everyone else. The same is true when I joined Roller Derby. For five years, building that league and skating were my life. There are countless examples.

The reason I get consumed by these activities is a topic for another post, but for now, I am recognizing the pattern and trying to make a change. I am not deleting my accounts and shunning social media, but I am going to set some boundaries. I should have done it a long time ago.

(Anti)Social Media?

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:59:23 -0500

It’s no secret. I spend a lot of time on various social media channels: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, LinkedIn, Pinterest… you get the picture. I use social media for work. I use social media for personal interests and entertainment. Sometimes I use it for no reason at all; simply to use it. It has become an integral part of my life. And at first, it was awesome. It connected me to old friends and introduced me to new friends. It helped me discover new interests and fall head-over-heels in love with my community. It was a spark that lit some of my passions on fire. I felt embraced and so I embraced it back without abandon.

But an odd feeling has been creeping over me the past several months. I’ve been feeling a strange sense of alienation. I am more connected, yet feel more alone. I have more acquaintances and fewer friends. Acquaintances are great. I can reach out to them for coffee or lunch, swap ideas, and truly enjoy the conversation, but a friend is someone I can call on a Sunday morning when I’m crumpled on the floor in a pool of my own used tissues. Yes, this happens sometimes. We all need friends. I’ve gotten away from mine, and for this, I am sorry. I should have seen it coming. I didn’t. I got sucked into the social media vortex and it’s time to get out.

Starting today, I am shifting my focus. As long as it’s around, social media will always play a role in my professional and personal life, but I won’t let it hover dangerously close to being my life. As it turns out, that’s no life at all.

"They were on a mission to grow a deeply connected community, a movement that was an organic..."

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 09:06:00 -0500

“They were on a mission to grow a deeply connected community, a movement that was an organic extension of their deepest convictions about food, source, people, and life.”

- I read this quote in my daily positive thoughts email and it struck me- it is exactly how Jon and I feel as we pursue our business ideas. We love our community. We love food. We want people to connect to our community in a more meaningful way through food that is grown here. So far, the response to our ideas has been very positive. I can’t wait to move this forward.

One of the best Roller Derby videos I’ve seen via @WFTDA....

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:51:35 -0400

One of the best Roller Derby videos I’ve seen via @WFTDA. If you’re still operating under the misconception that this isn’t real sport, watch this.

"You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of..."

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 09:27:30 -0400

“You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of kindness, of forgiveness, of emotional bravery. Be a warrior for love.”

- ~Cheryl Strayed, Tiny Beautiful Things

I just finished this collection of columns this morning. I think Steve Allman said it best in his foreword: “Tiny Beautiful Things will endure as a piece of literary art, as will Cheryl’s other books, because they makes us more human than we were before. We need books, and Cheryl’s books in particular, because we are all, in the private kingdom of our hearts, desperate for the company of a wise, true friend.”

I wish I had more time...

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 09:16:43 -0400

To do more in my community…

To spend some time at Founders…

To meet more people for coffee…

To tackle my growing to-do list…

To clean out the basement…

To write more for myself…

To send more handwritten notes…

To be a better wife, daughter, and friend…

To reach my full potential…

A shift is coming.

Mentally Preparing for Fort4Fitness Tomorrow!

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:56:53 -0400

“We runners talk about having fun but I don’t think anybody believes us. We talk about discipline and endurance, we take care, we exercise caution, we watch our diets and monitor our pace. We are ascetics who talk, unconvincingly, of the bracing enjoyment of self-abuse.”

Peter Sagal

Where does your mind wander?

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:39:25 -0400

Where does your mind wander?

Kick starting a lifestyle change

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:18:00 -0400

Earlier this year, I got serious about running. I am not a marathon runner. I am not a fast runner. But I am a runner. I have averaged between 12-18 miles per week for the past 6 months, and I don’t intend to stop. I wrote a post last year about my reignited love for running. Admittedly, I fizzled. But, earlier this year, as I looked at my 32-year-old body, suffering from an increasingly slowed metabolism, with sags and rolls that seemingly appeared overnight, I knew I had to do something. I hadn’t been active since retiring from Roller Derby at the end of 2010. So, I began running. Not simply to lose weight, but to improve my health. I needed to kick start a lifestyle change.

Over the course of the past 6 months, I’ve learned a few things.

1- Being out there is more important than my pace per mile. Even on my slowest days, I am burning more calories than if I were loafing on the couch.

2- It’s not a competition. It doesn’t matter how much someone else is doing. It doesn’t matter how fast someone else is. It only matters that I am giving it my best effort every time I am out there.

3- Running is my zen time and has improved my mental health. It’s just me, the road, and my thoughts.

4- Doing one thing for my health has inspired me to do more things for my health- kicking the Diet Coke habit, reducing my alcohol intake, and changing the way I think about and plan my meals, to name a few.

5- And finally, in order to commit to it, I have to schedule it in- as if it were a meeting or a lunch with a friend. Running has to be just as important- it has to be a priority.

No, I haven’t dropped a ton of weight- just a few pounds…those extra rolls are still there, but I feel better, I sleep better, I am better!

I know running isn’t for everyone, but I encourage you to find an activity that will help you kick start a lifestyle change.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Please share them!

The Invitation, by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:40:00 -0400

Several years ago, a friend gave this poem to me just when I needed it. It’s just as powerful today.

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love for your dreams for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon… I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain mine or your own without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy mine or your own if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful be realistic to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy. I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if yo

u can source your own life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure yours and mine and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

Yayoi Kusama x LV

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:19:19 -0400

thedscoop:

Here are most of the Yayoi Kusama collaboration products that are now available at all Louis Vuitton branches.

If you were wondering what to get me for my birthday, any piece from this collection will do.