Remabulous

book expo america: bring your wheelbarrow!

one of the perks of working @ book soup is getting my mitts on books months before they are published. now, just imagine that instead of a shelf of galleys in the back of the store, there is an entire convention center full of people who want you to read- and promote- their books. it's a bloodbath in there. i write this from the phone as i walk back from the garage because i could not bear the weight of 4 tote bags of free books any longer. and now... back for round two. that's right, there's a whole second hall to see. help me. look for notes on the best upcoming books on here and on literature life. happy reading!

interview: christine burke, co-owner and co-founder of liberation yoga!

christine burke is an inspiration. i have been a student at liberation yoga since i moved into the neighborhood near the studio, located on la brea and 1st. it has been voted best yoga studio in la the past several years for a reason: not only is the instruction amazing, but the message the owners, staff, and teachers put out through how they approach life is a constant inspiration. earlier this year, a flood ruined the beautiful hardwood floors of the indoor studio. instead of closing down or succumbing to despair as most of us would, christine and all of liberation chose to teach in the midst of this strangely warped floor as alternatives were explored. a large mound in the center of the floorboards evolved into a mountain the teacher could demonstrate on. the messages in the newsletter became more and more amusing with references to an insurance assessor who had never seen such a thing happen to wood before. it got to the point where i was even rather sad when it was time to for the new flat floor to come in.

a great example that life is what happens when we're making other plans. thankfully, we have examples like christine, who show us how to weather the bumps in the road gracefully. what follows are her answers to some questions she was kind enough to let me ask about starting a business and how she fell in love with yoga.

enjoy, and thanks christine, and liberation for all your hard work and great vibes!

image: whole life times.

new website you must not miss

a discovery from the road: picked up the cloudspotter's guide at the henry miller library. check out: www.cloudappreciationsociety.org  as it is so very delightful and remabulous.

image: c/o cloud appreciation society.

big sur and sf delights

i'm off to a wedding this weekend with a much-needed stop in big sur on the way. a change of scene to clear the head is always a help. will be staying at one of the few places i have never tried in big sur: the big sur river inn, so look for a full report. have a wonderful friday, and if you're in l.a., know that i am jealous if you get thunderstorms. i miss them much from when i had them as a kid during the summer on the east coast. happy memorial day! hope you're enjoying a break from work and up to something fun.

lazy days by necessity.

one of the great things about working from home is that when you have a weird health condition that requires treatment no 9 to 5er could dream of fitting into their schedule, all is possible.

came through treatment number three today at usc with no after disasters and simply a long nap afterwards to sleep off the benadryl. so far, i must say, i am impressed. i resisted going on this drug (remicaid) for a long time, mostly because i have been resistant to the idea of pumping myself full of yet another chemical that might have little to no result. but, to the very few of you out there who may be suffering from granuloma annulare, that nasty beast of a condition to treat, i can say that i see tremendous improvement.  many patches on my skin which were very red and pronounced and obvious to anyone in a room with me are now very hard to spot and some are nearly gone. after three years, this feels like a miracle.

so, message to work from homers:  even though people do often say it is better to work for someone else in order to have health insurance, i would counter and ask how it is possible to recover when working at a breakneck speed and when this same insurance is often compromised or threatened if getting treatment and getting well takes you away from work- which it invariably will.

much better to make your own hours and plan in order to stay fit to work at what you love for the rest of your life.

ok- off the soapbox for today.

wow- technology is scary!

well, it was inevitable. now i cannot only avoid getting lost, check e-mail, talk on the phone, and browse already written blogs on my blackberry, i can also write my own. that's right: this is coming at you from my phone. amazing when one thinks that just ten years ago it was pretty rare to see a mobile phone with anyone but an exec. and now we have reached the next level. it's official: this thing now really is my life support. help. they will get you in the end, too. i'm sure of it

congrats to the winner of style statement!

congratulations to ann howley, the winner of the contest for a signed copy of carrie & danielle's style statement. what follows is her winning entry. (lesson learned here: flattery is fully welcome here at remabulous!)

ann howley's ideal remabulous day:

I awake without the sound of an alarm.  I am well rested and at ease.  I write my three Artist's Pages and find that I am at peace in my world. I review yesterday and find that I have no regrets or amends for prior actions.  I am clear to walk into this day.  I do so softly with a cup of coffee and the morning paper.  My home is best in the morning when the sunlight streams in the window.  A baby hummingbird is seated on the branch outside my window, maybe thinking about approaching my feeder.  Maybe just resting for a busy day ahead.

 

At my desk (which is clear because all paperwork has been done!), I review the recent emails.  There are no major fires to put out, my day is still at peace.  I review my notes and prepare mentally for my next phone call.  I am lucky today to have an appointment with my Remabulous coach.  We are on the phone for the next hour.  I get some "yay for me's" and virtual pats on the back.  I am stroked for the steps I have made forward.  What appear to be steps backwards are reframed to show that they too have propelled me into a perfect place for me to be.

 

I spend the afternoon working in silence in my office.  I review images from recent travels and determine how to best use them in my photography business.  I know that while the process of creating a photo library is slow, my  remabulous coach is rooting for me via my "Time is Abundant" sign on my white board.

 

As the day's light dims, I haved crossed off all of today's "To Do's".  I gave myself the perfect amount of work for one day...not too much, not too little.  Just like Goldilocks, I got it just right!   I celebrate the day with a girlfriend at our favorite Greek restaurant. We spend the evening talking about all the ups and downs of a creative life.

 

I fall asleep soon after my head hits the pillow, just after saying a prayer of gratitutude for my ideal remambulous day!

it's ok to be human

one of the biggest struggles i see in myself and others lately is a steady refusal to admit we are human, aka that we have limits. plugging away despite being tired, frustrated, confused, or upset may seem like what we are supposed to do as adults, but it is my experience that the more mature choice is to admit defeat and take a step back.
here are some thoughts on the path that has served me much better:

image: "T" altered art via flickr.

respecting the natural cycle.

things i have not done for far too long that i vanquished today: entering the past month and a half into my quicken, paying my backlog of parking tickets, getting a doctor's order in to the hospital for next level of treatment, and totally cleaning the house.

a heroic day? not really. if these things had been taken care of all along, then they would have been seamlessly integrated into less frantic days. however, i share them to illustrate the essential yucky task rule: do as many as you can all at once in order to feel the maximum relief.

image: ukslim via flickr.

style statement giveaway!

carrie and danielle have been kind enough to give me a signed copy of their new book, style statement. i will give this copy away to the lucky reader who sends in the best description of their ideal remabulous day. please email me your story/descriptions and i will post the winner's description in a week and send you the beautiful book!

enjoy and happy friday.