Burberry trench

Traveling with my Burberry trench to Milan and back to Norway by bus (because of the Ash clouds from Iceland) was perfect! It served as a blanket for the LONG drive home!

Italy, April 2010

Went on a trip to Italy with 31 other women to Bergamo and Milan. I strongly recommend visiting Bergamo. It is situated right by the Italian Alps and is so lovely! We went on a four day trip to learn how to cook Italian cuisine and relax in wonderful restaurants. Did some shopping but the highlight of the trip was being with women I didn´t know before hand and meeting Italians where I was. I feel, more than ever, that life is the most interesting -in the moments. Like when I went alone into a store to buy-yes Converse snickers (without laces-the last one´s I bought were on the campus of Yale, Connecticut, USA). The owner, an Italian of 30+ years with thick curly hair, jeans, t-shirt, sneakers and still so Italian. He introduced me to his friend, who came in the shop to show of his self-made shoes. He had used an old pair Prada´s soles and stitched leather material on the top of the shoe. They looked like a sporty black and white golf shoe/ Church´s inspired with an Italian touch. I saw them, touched them and told them they were beautiful-nicely made. He was proud-and I could see he used many hours on them. My only regret is that I didn´t take a picture of them. I called him a Shoe Maker and that he should design for Prada! I loved this moment. -Being a part of a moment of pride and sharing and of admiring good workmanship! Rare these days..... This happened in the old town of Bergamo!

How does one dress oneself for patience?

I am sitting with my son doing homework and I wish I could find a way to dress for patience. When I look at the ocean, I feel peace and tranquility. My "dress" is of comfortable clothing, pastels, soft knits, and something warm but light. When I sit here at the kitchen table, with my son, I find myself at my wits end. I am supposed to be helping but I am not. I guess, just for me to sit here- is at least helping him to get it done. (The pressure). Schoolwork sucked way back when I went to school, and it still sucks. My poor son. My "dress" is of starchy, uncomfortable, black and red, irritable with rough edges, and it feels like I´m sitting on thumbtacks.

Is getting dressed for patience - all about layering or pulling back the layers? How can you find the soft when it feels so rough?

Ok. Love. Love is patience...Patience is love. I have love for my son, and I have patience on most levels, just not homework.

Conclusion: Find someone else who wears soft materials to sit with my son. This I do in love.

Inspired by The Sartorialist

I am a fan of The Sartorialist. It is a blog. Check it out-www.thesartorialist.com. And check out Scott Schuman, the man behind the camera and blog and the book with the same name- tp://www.thesartorialist.com/bio.html

I simply love it! I love looking at the blog and I got the book from my best friend for Christmas. I love to look at the people and their creative outfits that he captures because they catch his trained eye. These photos inspire me and if I get a chance to look at his blog in the morning-before I get dressed, I try to dig up something out of my closet that adds flair to what I am wearing. Life is too short to dress boring.

He has taught me something too. I always thought that the fact that I have not yet found my style, made me not stylish-in a way. I thought I had to belong to a certain group-preppy or classic, artsy, rock style or whatever. I am a little of everything. And he wrote that it is the people that are still searching for who they are -that are the trendsetters. Now, that´s a lift- me- up! But I am not a trendsetter, I am just a mom in a small town, but I know that these are styles too: Movement, change, and taking chances and ultimately- making a statement.

Another tip: If you are sick of the Ugg boots and want to try something new, yet keep warm, try looking up Pajar boots. They are the new hot boots for cold climates! So cool!

2010-so many places to go.....

Well now, I know it´s been ages since I´ve blogged but, I got stuck a little. Stuck on not being able to get the pictures up that I want, not figuring out what to write, and I´ve been busy with Christmas. I am a stay at home mom that is on the go....so...

O.k...HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MY THREE FOLLOWERS AND THE REST WHO JUST HAPPEN TO DROP IN! I am writing while my three yr. old is watching childrens television and my other one just got in from playing in the snow. I have 5 min´s.

2010 is going to be a traveling year for me. London, Milan, Dublin, and New York are all booked. So exciting! Staying at The Ritz in London. It is a gift!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOw I have to do some research on how to dress for tea. Guys are lucky-jacket and tie, but for us women, we don´t want to look like we are going to a Disco afterwards or a Funeral..... The only dressy clothes I have right now are for evening entertaining at a Mountain resort. (Think Goat vest!) The Ritz calls for some other animal. -Mink, not rabbit. Cashmere not wool socks. Polished hands-not rugged, wood carrying hands. Chanel bag-not a rugsack (backpack). Sensible heels-not Uggs. Guess I will do o.k. If you guys got any hints....let me know. O.k. I know I am supposed to be a specialist-but in attitude-not class. Ritz is class. I am -and always will be- a lower middle class girl that now owns a Chanel or two. I can fake it....

Milan will be fun, fun, fun. Love the Italians and will be going with a group of women that love to cook and eat and shop. Dress Code-stylish and with good shoes!

Dublin will be a scream! Here I will be together with High School girlfriends that will be getting together for the first time since -25years! Love Irish Pubs!!!! Dress Code-EASY!

New York. Thanksgiving....Turkey...Fall...the City!!!!! Good walking shoes and good coat! Easy wearing garments under the coat to be easily ripped off to try on all the new stuff in the stores!!!!!

Looking good................for 2010!

All dressed up and to the Gym I go...

I am so loving training with my personal trainer!!!!!!

God! Where do I start?! O.k. Mind over Body-Body over Mind. They both hang together, don´t they? I have been doing this-on and off for 10 months. The first 7 months were so hard! To get my body into the whole training thing was so difficult and I felt like I had to switch the gear that I had been driving myself on -for so long-to another gear. And... I had no control of my eating habits! I had the will power of a drug addict. Food was my fix! I was the cook for my family and friends and I was making lots of food and drinking lots of good wine! I thought I was living the good life, but, in fact, I wasn´t happy about what this "good life" was doing to my body, and this made me feel all horrible! My self esteem took a dive. And the more horrible I felt about me- the more depressed I started feeling-and I became a party poop in life. I had my good days-which meant giving of myself to so many people in my life but at the end of the day-I felt miserable because I felt burned out and wasn´t happy at myself in the mirror. I felt-like I had little to give-in the end. I was on the hunt for some other stimuli! Shopping became my next fix. And when that didn´t fill me up, after a while, I did Bible Groups. The Lord then lead me to the Gym and then to the idea of seeking professional help there.

Working out with a trainer is so important to me because I needed discipline. I felt I needed guidance at the Gym and I felt that I would get more out the whole thing. Also, being a stay at home-mom, I have no rush to get things done at a certain time. I always have tomorrow. I felt -I was even compromising my training to do home stuff. He set me up on a diet (still a challenge but lots of great tips that I´ve been following) and we are working 3 hours a week. So 3 days a week I go! And in the days between, I rest or do an hour walk or a half and hour run/bike ride.

The trainer is SO PROFESSIONAL, and gives me back discipline. Out of that- I am getting discipline from my body. And...I feel so privileged to do this! It may be expensive, but, I would rather spend the money there -then in therapy!!!!!! Or...a cooking class, taking a French class or lunching or shopping! And this trainer is so smart, knows his field and is such a great motivator! I feel lucky to have him as my "Coach." I have now found the healthiest fix ever!!!!

I also love all the emotions tied into the whole training. -The getting psyched to go, the putting on the gear, the music and the moving of my body, the pain, and the accomplishments of getting stronger and quicker. And with the trainer at my side- rooting me on and waving his invisible wipp. I am so loving my attitude these days.....And I feel like I have found myself again! I feel good and I feel happier!

Skål to my trainer!

How to sell oneself

I can´t say more than enough-that the first couple of seconds after walking in that door-is the most important! The seconds set the whole session up-heading for success or not.

There is a whole lot of things I cannot do-and believe me-I may be hard on myself but at least I´m honest. I know my weaknesses but when I have a strength that I so believe in-I get passionate and unstoppable! This is one of them!

I just told a person today that when I have a goal in mind, all my body and mind are directed to this goal. Just ask my husband-I fuse everything and everyone out. (That is not a good thing) But, I do actually -for the most part, get what I want. (That´s when I know what I want.) A lot of the times, I don´t know WHAT I want, but when I do, it´s HEAVEN!

You can read "The Secret", listen to all the "How to be a success..." dvd´s and all that sort-or you can just do it-get stubborn and determined and get to know your strengths and weaknesses-and start there! You can´t sell, what you ain´t got. YOu can lie, and get there, but you won´t be there for long. But you can come prepared. And looks, I am afraid, tell for the seconds.

O.k. Back to the door. YOu got to sell your FACE, BODY, AND ATTITUDE. If you are a sports person- and you want to further yourself in this field, you do not walk in a sports outfit. You would walk in with a light blue shirt with long sleeves with a collar, nice slacks, hair, hands and face groomed. And you´d skip the perfume that day after the shower. Light blue is a great color, in my view, the best color for interviews, speeches or other gatherings where you are trying to sell yourself. Royal blue is good, as long as it´s not too bright. Red, no. Black, no. Big patterns-NO! The key word-Subtle! And good shoes with matching socks and belt. Invest in something good. You will use them for years.

POSTURE-get your back straight by putting shoulders back. And try to keep your face straight and look people in the eye when you talk. You´d be surprised how many people don´t do this. Smile with your eyes.

Ok. the first seconds are over...