Blah,Blah,Blahg

TALK TO THE PAW...

So this whole work thing has me in a tizzy, it's so different from my 'normal' schedule.  Yes, I was my own worse slave master BUT I just had me to answer to.  Now that I have a boss I feel like I am walking on land mines, you never know which turn will blow your head off.  It's not bad and maybe I am making up the stress in my own brain and everything is kosher but it sure is scary going back into the work force after 20 years of owning my own companies.  Don't get me wrong, I am so happy to be gainfully employed, it feels like Gibraltar has been lifted off my shoulders.  The one thing that is bringing me down is my girls, they re taking my absence quite personally, especially my baby Bella, she's been giving me the ice shoulder.  This is an example of her behavior when I return from the office, no hello mommy, I missed you terribly, thank you for saving me from euthanasia or anything like that...

FINITO!

I FINISHED!  Yes, I officially have finished the whole darn Potter series!  J.K. Rowling is amazing, her brain is a work of art, it should be kept at the Smithsonian when she expires.  I love creative people, really creative people, not Jackson Pollack creative, I mean I like the name Jackson, so his parents must of been creative but come on now, please..If you should be living under a rock or someplace where they never exposed you to Mr. Pollack this is his work:

Okay, enough said, back to J.K--Brilliant!  The books were anything but a children's story, they were suspenseful and filled with great  The characters so well developed there could be off shoot stories on any of them.  I cried my eyes out several times (I can't remember the last time a book has brought me to tears).  They were great.  I am in awe of any writer that could make a whole generation of children eager to open a book ans use their imaginations, it is quite an impressive feat with all the other external stimuli out there.  Does it deserve to be the third most read book of all time?  Hmmm? I don't know about that but if you have the desire to check out for a little while into a magical  place than I highly recommend the series.

Here's some great quotes to prove my point that this isn't just for the kiddo's and that Ms. Rowling has a way with words...

"Humans have a knack for choosing precisely the things that are worst for them."

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

"In fact, being - forgive me - rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger."

"After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. "

"It's a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up. "

THE TRUTH...

I saw this somewhere while I was doing one of my fruitless searches on the web. It stuck with me because sad as it may seem it sums up my existence.  It's right cheeky I say and spot on.  I wish I could give you the name of the person who spewed this pearl of wisdom and if you know please let me know so I can give them credit where credit is due...

PETITE BOOKPLATES!

Well, I know it's Friday somewhere in the world!   I figured I would add this to the blahg sooner than later.  The other day on my bi-weekly jaunt to the library I checked out a book that had the sweetest little, lady-like bookplate that I ever did see!  I knew immediately that I wanted to make some for the download.  I have made them in a summer lime and sunset yellow.  They look a little bright on screen but they print pretty mellow (at least on my printer!)  If you still feel they are too bright you can play with your printers contrast settings you should be able to get a color that you are happy with.  Enjoy!

P.S.  I added the lines around the plates because I think it's easier to cut with lines (I cut like a drunk person without  them)

Petite Bookplate here...

 

J-O-B...

Well, I have been holding out on telling you that I got a job.  A J-O-B, a real job.  I am flabbergasted.  For 21 years I have had my own business and hustled and struggled and yes, huffed and puffed until I blew myself down.  I confided in my friend Jules that I was putting my feelers out to find a job as a receoptionist somewhere, something where I didn't have to think and I could be on the internet most of the day.  I know this because having my own business that's what a lot of my employee's would do--nothing.   It's not like they didn't like me, it's just that nobody will ever love your business as much as you.  The people that work for you will probably be good for 3-4 hours out of any work day.  Trust me on this, don't bellyache if you aren't like this, you then are a 'find' and  I do hope your company appreciates you!  I sent out a faux resume that had me as the receptionist of my own company.  I thought the resume was quite nice and if I were hiring I would hire me.  I didn't get one call after about six months of send outs!  I was getting weary, I wanted a job, something not taxing and something I could do while I did Bella Bella.  Well, it seems that being a receptionist wasn't in my stars, I couldn't waitress as I am old(er) and standing on my feet for extended periods of time would put me inches from my grave.  Also, being in Los Angeles if you don't look like Angelina Jolie's twin sister the waiting jobs are not in your cards.  I did get a call though out of the blue about a job, a BIG job.  I can't tell you what the company is, as I had to sign Fort Knox worthy documents not to discuss, but I will be their Brand Director a.k.a Secret Weapon.  I'll be their Agent '99' (if you are 80 you may understand that reference).  Even though I was going for non-taxing it looks like I signed myself up for the Olympics of PR + Branding.  I am up for the challenge though, even though I am nervous as all get out.

My PR doors for my boutique firm will be closing, but not to fret!  I am writing a book on PR, not any 'ol book mind you, but a PR Handbook extraordinairre!  I will be writing with a well respected and highly sought out Editor and you will have the perspective from both a seasoned PR professional and the Editors point of view, so if you have questions, ask away as I will need fodder for our chapters!  This is not a folly we will be getting this published as we have a million (conservative estimate) publishers interested!  I am doing this for you, everyone who ever wanted to know about PR, because it is quite 'Oz' like I know.  When I was in school and people would say I should be in Public Relations, I always wondered why they would want me to be in a government job.  I like shoes for goodness sake!  Anyway, I  do hope that you take me up on this offer and ask so I can help you build your business as I have been able to do for so many others.  I truly believe their is nothing quite like the feeling of getting up and being excited to go to work instead of dreading the alarm clock...

THE CHEATERS CLIFF NOTES....

We have already established I cheat (when it comes to home cooking that is).  I have little time and patience, unless it's the weekend or the very unusual dilemma of no deadline then I don't mind getting all gourmet and what not.  I do a lot of weird things, one is ordering things and never using them, which would be the subscription I've had for over a year for 'Everyday Food'.  Why I ignored these little sprites I have no idea.  I casually opened one last week and they have thus far changed my life.   I have gotten more compliments on my cooking then I can count and have added other continents to my repertoire, as I was stuck in two countries Mexico and Italy for quite some time, an occasional French jaunt but only when I was feeling really adventuress. I made this little ditty over the weekend, Brie wrapped in chicken:

In the mag they give you shopping lists, which is super convenient as I never remember to bring mine to the grocery any way and am convinced once I get there that all we need is Nestle Toll House cookie dough...So the convenience of tossing one of their mini mags in my bag isn't too off-putting.  You know what the best part of this all is?  You don't have to subscribe, they pretty much put all the recipes on line for those whom unlike moi don't want to add another expense to their lives.  The recipes are really easy and so far goof proof (trust me if I can do it a monkey could).  If you too want to seem like you have graduated with honors from culinary school than head on over to this mecca of domestica