Exhale.

On a morning like today when my family wakes up to the sound of birds singing in the forest behind our log home, accompanied by the sweet smell of the warm air and the sight of trees coming back to life- it is hard not to appreciate all that we have. I cannot begin this blog post any other way than to give thanks that Egypt has been heard and their president has stepped down. My father(in-law) was born in Egypt, and it was only a couple of years ago that he and his 'The Silver Fox's Mama returned there again for another visit, one last visit. Their pictures were amazing. I cannot help but be so heart broken for the pain and destruction that has occurred, but also so grateful that our immediate family is here, safe, together and whole. Godspeed to those in Cairo and to those with loved ones there. It is hard to think of anything more than the real issues of our day to day life. I had friend tell me yesterday that he has to fly to Bangkok today- as his father passed suddenly of a heart attack. My heart broke for him as he explained the situation to me, yet he himself was so strong and so stoic, it was a such a fantastic reminder that attitude and spirit are everything. My heart is with he and his beautiful wife and family. Now on to seemingly superficial excitement... I am going to be on Entertainment Tonight next week. I am very excited about it for sure. It is just hard to separate world chaos and a television show. I am very excited to be appearing on a show I love to watch. The opportunities that are attached to such an honour are overwhelming. So far, of all the media I have been working with, this is the one I am most excited about. I love that I will be sharing the segment with Karen Buder of Sugarlime Jewelry. I am not sure how she feels about it, but I do feel very excited anytime women are acknowledged. This past week has been monumental. I have been dealing with exciting stuff, and real stuff. I was on the cover of both local newspapers, I have had a family with the flu, recovering from a root canal, having to unclog a toilet (thank you 'B-Man' for shoving a compact down there) I filled the Thomas Haas order I had for custom Valentine's Day cards. They are now there and available for purchase. Yesterday was amazing, I shipped off my Oscar Jewels and they are on route. Relieved, honoured, humbled and amazed are a few of the emotions that came within the tidal wave of emotions that through me all over the tissue map yesterday. It has been a long month full of amazing moments, and my family has been amazing. My friends have championed my every success and I have been stunned by the response of strangers. I have tried to share this spot light with as many different women as I can. I have tried very hard to pay these opportunities I have been given, forward and I have learned a great deal about how guarded some people are about sharing success. It has been so interesting, and a lesson in trying to respect a behavior I do not understand. Prior to this Oscars excitement, I began this year with a commitment to get my whole self organized. My body, mind & spirit. My home, my routines, my systems. I knew this year was going to be a TSN Turning Point in my life, I just didn't for see how that was going to manifest. Now that I have a clue, I need to return to my mission and I have had the 'Aha' moment. I can't do it by myself. I need help. So I have enlisted a professional to help me. We all have our strengths and I have acknowledged that being an organized person is not mine. 2011 is the year that I find balance, simplicity and that I accept that my imperfections are a gift that allows me to better myself. Someone recently reminded me of one of my favorite quotes that has been quite obvious to me in the past month: "When you do what you love, the universe will rise up to meet you." - Oprah Love & Light, t.

A Lotus Grows In The Mud...

What a week it has been. I have had the pleasure of meeting with many reporters, signing off on images, being contacted by future clients, old friends and all the while, creating jewelry steeped in heart warming intention. I know many of you saw the cover of the Vancouver Sun. I am still in awe of the honour and deeply touched by the out pouring of love and well wishes by so many. I cannot articulate how much I appreciate the warm sentiments from loved ones and strangers alike. Thank you seems less than the gratitude I hope to convey. Yesterday morning I was invited to share a seat on the couch at Global T.V. with News Anchor Steve Darling. Where I had been warned that many anchors are dismissive and will not engage you unless the cameras are hot, Steve lived up to his name. He was so warm and welcoming. He was authentic and made me feel very comfortable. Mark Madryga was very animated also. On a side note, the week after I was married to 'The Silver Fox', I was walking around in Kits with my sweet friend 'Al' and she and I were walking up to Mark who was about to do a segment on the weather. Long and short of it, I walked up to him and told him that I am a newlywed and I wanted to show my new bling of a wedding ring to the world. He fit me into his segment and alas, I come the the long winded review of how I first encountered Mark M. Anyway, as I was saying, Mark was also engaging and Arran Henn the lovely traffic reporter was equally warm and hospitable. I dare to say that Global T.V has the most charming reporters I have dealt with so far. Knowing that I would be doing interviews, a few weeks ago I made my way to the Vancouver Island to do a little shopping at my number one, absolutely, hands down favorite clothing store. If you have not been there, you must go. If you live on the island, you already know what a haven it is, and for those of you who go into Nanaimo or need a one stop fashion go-to this is it! SARTORIAL- 295 Wallace Street. No, I am not getting kick backs. No, I am not related to the owner. No, I don't get discounts for referring people to her. What I do get, is the thrill to know that all of my beloveds are getting the same kick ass service I do when I go there. Here is what I do know about Sartorial. If I owned a shop, it would be this shop. It is the size of the amazing walk-in closet that Carrie Bradshaw has in her and 'Big's' new Upper Eastside apartment in the first SATC movie. It is large enough to host a party with you and your bff's but quaint enough that it feels exclusive and elegant. The wallpaper, the front door, the location, all of it feels like someone has created this little oasis and the only way to get in is to know somebody who knows somebody. I love it. Now the gal who owns it who you will usually find there... her name is Tashe. Not Tasha. Not Natasha. Tashe. Simple, strong, straight to the point and very fashionable. This girl suits her name and her store is a clear reflection of her business and buying sense. You see, Tashe, knows her inventory and she knows her body types. She can look out you with her peripheral vision alone and pull out the exact pieces that are going to compliment your curves for you, or rather, create the illusion of curves for those less fortunate 'skinny types'. We all have our crosses to bear... :) lol So, yes going to Sartorial you get free with entry, the expertise of a humble but talented personal stylist named Tashe. You get the most unique and beautiful collections of clothing to choose from. AND, get ready for it... her prices are not ridiculous. They are absolutely no more or less than the industry standard. Hence, I find taking a ferry to the island good value for a personal shopping experience. The other fun fact is that the lines she carries are also the brands that we see some of our favorite celebs wearing. If you friend her on Facebook you will get her fashion updates which are amazing. If you do sign up- write on the wall that you read about her on my blog. For that matter, follow my Buddha & The Raven Page and I will collect the names of those who mention this blog entry and I will put all the names into a hat and on March 15th I will pull a name and whoever that is will receive one of my Oscar Bound Lariats. Tell your friends. But you have to follow Sartorial & Buddha & The Raven and mention this blog on both walls. The piece I will be drawing for is valued at $120.00. You can only have your name entered once. Okay- so the point of telling you about Sartorial was to mention that everything I have worn in my interviews and in photos and on T.V. has been from Sartorial. Hand picked for me by Tashe. I have received so many compliments. One of the more exciting moments I had about my latest purchases was that one of the pieces that Tashe deemed was a must have on me, was this black little number that was cute and flattering but more important to me was that it was uber-comfortable. Crazy comfy. Anyway- I was watching Oprah the other day and sure enough one of her must haves for the spring was from Fluxus, which is the brand Tashe insisted I buy! Well, if Tashe and Oprah tell me it's a must have... then it is a must freakin' have! Hollah! lol Oprah, I heart Oprah. I learned a very valuable lesson from 'my sista from anutha mista' this past week. I was watching when she revealed that she and her family wanted to share some personal news, their way and on their terms. I took note and am about to do the same. I recently was interviewed by Justin Beddall. He is the Editor of the North Shore Outlook, and by far the most talented reporter I have come across yet. He is kind and polite. He has a warmth that makes you trust him, and he has integrity. I was interviewed by Justin earlier this week and the article comes out in tomorrows paper. Look for it! Anyway- in the process of our interview, I felt safe enough to disclose some personal details about where I have come from. Not super detailed, but super personal. Here is where his integrity outshines his warmth... he called me back yesterday and wanted to double check that I was still feeling good about sharing so much. I couldn't believe my ears. In a time where scandal and dirt sell papers, he wanted to know if I was still comfortable with opening myself up to becoming a bit more vulnerable. Hats off to this man. I just cannot speak highly enough to this gesture of humanism. Kudos. ( I did say to run with it) I just want to acknowledge what was said and how it came up. Basically, Justin asked me if I was proud of this latest accomplishment involving the Oscars. He asked if I had dreamed this dream since childhood and what had I wanted to be when I grew up. I told Justin that I never had those dreams as a child. My dreams were about surviving and about moving far, far away from my then home life, and all those within. Without getting into sordid details and creating drama where the drama has long been over, what I will say is that no I didn't enjoy the carefree childhood my children and their friends do today. I still catch myself stunned when they are playing with imaginary unicorns and having tea parties where I, me, a mommy am invited AND graciously accept and together we eat crumpets and design jewelry together! Rather, my childhood ended before it really began. My happiest childhood memories are the ones that my husband and I have given to our children. Do I have a mom & dad that support me and love me, who I get to share these success... Yes! They are my husband's parents who have loved me unconditionally in a whole, and beautiful way since the day they met me. Do I bring any grandparents to the table for my own children? No. I have not had a relationship with my bio/mother since I was 19 yrs old. I left home at 14 when I knew that I was emotionally, physically, spiritually, totally safer on my own than staying where I was. I gave it five years for her to do right by me, and that day never came and as a result the early years in my life were a struggle. I went to school with kids that knew a strong foundation at home. None of them could figure out what was different about me, not until the day I finally came to school with bruises on me that were actually visible and not hidden by my clothing. Save your pity. Really, it is misplaced with me. Please... To know me is to know that working two jobs, finishing school and having to muster all of the strength and courage I could at 14 yrs old was what got me to this place now. I am loved. I am strong. I have what few of you might have... I have 'Princess', 'Big City', 'Bean', 'The Writer', 'The Marnster' Lil' g', 'Rox' ' & a few other treasures. I have these sisters who I love, and I love to hate in a good way. The point is... sounds like a family huh? We can throw down some good one liners at one another but when real life is happening- we show up. A baby, a funeral, a dream lost, a dream realized... we are on each other's door steps. Food in hand, to- do lists, husbands in tow with jobs to do, we take over each other's lives so that the one in need can just 'be'. We lift each other up, kick each other off pedestals we haven't earned and we verbally ass kick anyone who dares to do any of the above - only family has those kind of rights. We share our families with one another, so that despite our own lack of blood relatives, our family trees are sprawling and diverse and no one, and I mean no one puts the FUN in dysfunctional like we do. I do have a few siblings. I am fiercely protective of their privacy. The one thing I will say about them is that they are all around ten yrs older than me and were long gone, kicked out of the house by the time I was 8. Their stories are their own. Not one of them happier than my own. Now that I have said that, let me say this. My husband, my children, my extended/self selected family are the most beautiful creatures a girl could hand pick... and funnily enough, I did hand pick them! LOL ahhh, the silver lining of the unhappier bits. It is only in the past 48 months that I have reconnected with a few of my aunts and uncles. It has been a journey in courage and understanding, and a realization that the love I have in my own home is the only love my heart will ever need. Everything else is a bonus. I have no expectations in life, except that my home remains a safe, loving haven that is enriched by respect and unconditional love. My husband and I are best friends... I know, I know, gag... but it is sooo true. Our children are an obvious manifestation of that bond we have and they are the most grounded, secure little spirits. I say with certainty that I paid my dues for this beautiful life I live, I paid those dues early, and for the love of my children and their continued bliss, I would repay those dues over and over again if that is the cost of breaking the cycle that I escaped. All my peeps are constantly laughing at me because of my connection with Oprah. But we are connected I am telling you. She left home at 15 from an abusive childhood and home. I did the same at 14. No one thought she would make it. Likewise. She created her own family: Gayle, Bob, Jay, John, Jen, Stedman, Me too, Princess, Big City, The Writer etc... The Silver Fox. We both are living our passions and spreading light and love into the world with the platforms we have... Oprah builds schools for girls in Africa, I bless and meditate over beads for women in Canada... see we are practically twins. LOL ;) The one last thought of the day for you to ponder, which I heard a year or so ago, that I ABSOLUTELY love and wish I could say to ten different people everyday is a quote by my other main man... Dr. Phil. Who doesn't love this guy? I use his "... and how's that working for yah?" all the time. Anyway the one that I love that resonates with me that I think should be printed on our national currency is this one: " after the age of 36, you can't blame your parents anymore!" How many adults do you know that are still hung up on their childhood. Snap out of it. Life's a choice. Choose, would yah!? LOL Seriously... we all know those people. I always say that there is ONE difference between a victim and a survivor... the way you tell your story. And on that note, quit telling the same old story that happened 25, 35, 45 years ago. You are a grown up, start taking responsibility for yourself... really.Really! Now that we have that clear. LOL Anyway- that is enough honesty for one night. I had a root canal yesterday so speaking is a challange... if my bff's were around they would be high fiving one another chanting ' finally we can get a little peace around here'! Love at it's finest. And finally, yes, a lotus grows from the crude mud and still it is a beautiful creation worthy of love and light. Sometimes muddy starts still have beautiful endings. So on behalf of Oprah and I and our new found sister... :) thank you and good night. I would like to dedicate this blog post to 'Mic'. "Sorry Mic." LOL Love, Light & Laughter to you all, t.

Mike Bullard Interview today @ 9:45am

And Then The Sun Came Out...

Yesterday was a full day. Full of emotion, gratitude and disbelief. When I woke up this morning, the sun was shining for the first time in over a week. A welcome taste of the spring that you could smell in air today. It was a great affirmation of the levity and promise that arrived yesterday morning on the cover of my other favorite sun, the 'Vancouver Sun' newspaper. As the 'Silver Fox' was pouring me a cup of coffee,( he is a doll that way- always starts the day by making me coffee- am i spoiled or what?!) and he was also checking voice mail on his cell. He put the phone on speaker so we could both listen. It was one of dearest, dearest friends, Thomas Haas. (a celebrity in his own right- for being a Chocolate/Pastry Guru) Thomas was so elated for me and said that it was a nice way to begin his day by finding me on the cover of his morning paper. I appreciated the call. It is touching to hear the people you love find joy in your own excitement and success. I had interpreted Thomas, 'cover' comment to mean on the cover of the section of paper he was reading at the time. I never thought that in the middle of the turmoil in Cairo (where my father in law was born) and considering that this weekend hosted the NHL- All Star Regatta, that somehow I my story would trump these. It wasn't until I was on my way to a meeting with some of my business mentors did I stop by the local grocery store and pick up the paper. I was trying to be all casual as I picked up a paper or five, and made my way to the check out. I didn't bother looking at the cover, because it was inside that I was intrigued by. It wasn't until the gal that was ringing me through said "Hey,this isn't you is it?" I looked at her and pardoned myself, I didn't understand her question. "Here, on the front page. That is you!" I am not going to pretend to be anything but the dork I felt like in that moment. Oh my... gasp, I landed the f r e a k i n g cover! I then went completely red and began to blush. I was felt awkward and shy and immediately turned the paper over. Can you imagine? Anyone who knows me knows there is not a spotlight that has ever blinded me or that I could convince to follow me. I am not shy. I am not bashful and I do not blush. With a full day between me and that moment, I can say that it was a moment bigger than myself and I was in need of processing the moment and was unable to acknowledge it. I got back in my car, called 'The Fox' and told him about the cover. He was as surprised as I was. I had a 15 minute drive to my meeting place. It took me that long to understand and process that this had actually happened for me. You have to understand that this little article on the cover meant something more meaningful than the exposure and success of my business. I will come back to that in bit... The second call I made was to my girlfriend, Sue Messent. She is mentioned in the article and is the reason I am having even in the position right now.If it weren't for her like mindedness, that women should help and support other women, I would not be Oscar bound. I called her to thank her again and to pay my respect to her huge heart. As I walked into the dining room at HCC where we were meeting, I was greeted with open arms and huge enthusiasm from my sweet publicist who was more elated than even I was. As our team of 7 all arrived and we hugged it out one at a time, we had fun with the fodder of reading the article and enjoying the moment of our excitement. You know you are in good company when the people around you consider your success to be there own success. We sat and brunched and brainstormed ideas for one another. I have used this metaphor before, but the seven of us sitting around that table were like these amazing threads that together wove the most incredible tapestry. Everyone brings something different to the table and if even one of us were not present, the outcome would be less rich and far from complete. It is incredible to be part of a circle of women who are brilliant, powerful and at the top of the corporate ladders in their perspective fields. Giving the 'old boys club' a run for their money. LOVE IT! I would like to see one of those 'old boys' strap on a pair of 3 inch heels, a pinstripe pencil skirt suit and rock out a presentation the way these women do. These ladies have brains, elegance AND balls of steel. I LOVE it! After the meeting I headed home and was greeted by the founding members of my fan club. We all had fun going through the paper and the kids loved to see Mommy in there. I had my phone off for the morning, and didn't even think to check my email or Facebook up until that point. (again, totally unlike me) I was so overwhelmed by the emails, the texts, the FB messages and comments. The twitter tweets were amazing and the Linkin messages were huge. I had more friend requests, website inquiries, blog hits and new jewelry orders than I could deal with in one sitting. My website hit over 1300 new visitors yesterday over double new visitors in a day than it had ever seen before. Wow. Just amazing. Totally humbling. I still have not returned the phone calls or emails. I am still too overwhelmed to articulate my gratitude to everyone who has come out of the wood work to support me and to cheer me on. I am still feeling so humbled by all of this. I know there are other local women designers who are enjoying the same sort of Oscar excitement right now, and I am proud of them and excited to be sharing this parallel journey with them;however, I am still in awe that despite the similar journeys we are on, it was my publicist Gillian Behnke that orchestrated my story to the cover of the Vancouver Sun. Thank you Gillian. My heart is projecting light & love right into yours. The interview itself translated into what I deem to be a great article. One of my bff's 'the writer' is a principal at www.thoughtshop.ca. She gave me critical advice prior to my interview and I followed it to the letter. She told me to pick three points you want to make and to stick to them, and convey them at all costs. So, I went into that interview with three key points that were important to me that I wanted the public to know. 1. I wanted to thank Sue Messent. www.tres-femme@blogspot.com If it weren't for her love and kindness I would not be living this moment in this way. I needed to convey that women helping women is a beautiful thing, and she embodies this beauty. 2. I wanted to make people aware that while this is a great business opportunity to be involved with the Oscars, you 'pay to play'. I had so many people asking how much I would be making off of this. It occurred to me that most people think that this is an honour that comes with a nice payday. I wanted to debunk the myth and to reveal the little man behind the curtain ala Wizard of Oz. No, no... you are the one who pays and if it is a worthy endevour then you make the educated business decision to invest accordingly. 3. I wanted to reveal why my jewelry is different than many other similar jewelry designers around. My jewelry stands apart because for one thing. I buy my materials in Canada. My jewelry is designed, created by hand in Canada, rather than being done so off shore. The key difference though is that I bless all of the stones I work with. I steep them in love and intention for the wearer to benefit from. I was so grateful and relieved that the article began with thanking Sue in the first sentence, and closed with the fact that I meditate with the stones I work with. To me, that is huge beautiful value. So in closing. Thank you all for the love & light. While I was busy living my best life, I forgot to dream this dream. I forgot to dream this part of the journey. I am just so glad that I woke up and took the reigns before this one got away from me. love & light, t.

I Lied... I Do Judge You...

Last week I met with my accountant to review a few protocols now that I am selling my jewelry internationally. I should say not only is ' My $ Man' just that, over the past decade he has become a great friend but also a trusted confident. I went in to see him and we began talking about some of the colourful neighbours he has. 'My $ Man' has his office in a slightly industrial area where there is a recycling depot not far from his office. It somehow came up that there were a lot of 'recyclers' ie: ' homeless' fellas around when I drove up. He launched into what a blessing they were to have around. I thought he was being sarcastic and that is when he explained the reality of the situation. This area of town we were in is their 'hood'. They feel as much pride and ownership in their backyard as we do our own personal addresses. 'My $ Man' said that they park their business vehicles in the public access parking lot for weeks on end. Never a problem with anyone ever messing with them. In fact, their business park has an unusually low crime rate. No break ins. No vandalism. No one is ever harassed. In his ten years of working there no one, not one of those colourful locals has ever, ever, ever asked him for money. Not only was I stunned, I was shamed. I assumed that those folks would have been a thorn in the neighbourhood's side. In fact, I was exactly wrong. I had exactly judged them, and judged them wrong. In fact, they are appreciated in that neighbourhood for being the security force. They protect the area and in turn the local businessmen/women, repay the thanks by bringing their domestic recycling to work and paying it forward to these guys. It was such a lesson for me. How often do I go through my day claiming not to judge others, rather, it seems I may have masked my judgment in a cloak of assumption. I am not proud of this but I am grateful for 'My $ Man' and his candid and accurate portrayal of an unorthodox society that may not look like mine; however, functions the same way mine does, with consideration, respect and community. I wonder what kind of assumptions people make about you and I? How are we judged for things that don't have any business being applied to us? It reminds me again, to look EVERYONE in the eye and smile when I walk past them. Every spirit deserves to be acknowledged and appreciated regardless of their present situation. If we are honest, how many of those local homeless people that we come across actually receive heartfelt smiles from people that are experiencing better fortune than themselves? Join me, lets spread the love by giving them the respect of eye contact and a simple smile. Can you imagine what that ripple effect might translate into? love & light to all, t.

God Bless My Publicist...

I said it from the beginning that this media infused territory was uncharted waters to me. Exactly the reason I sought out the 'PR Guru'. From the get go Gillian told me to that there is an unspoken dance between 'us' & 'them'. There is an etiquette that needs to be followed in order for many, not all of the media types but definitely many that we have to follow or else the energy will go stagnant due to lack of ego stroking. This is where a PR Goddess comes in handy. I am so not savvy enough to know when to stroke ones ego and when to muffle a laugh that would deem inappropriate. Anyone who really knows me, knows I speak my truth and I own it. What I have to say is not always well received but more often than not, it needs to be said and I am usually right on the money. I recently had a reporter ask me what my greatest strength is and what my weakness is... I instantly replied that my greatest is strength is that I speak my truth at all times. I am a straight shooter. I told her that my greatest weakness was that I speak my truth at all times. I am a straight shooter. It's true. A lot of people would rather be fed B.S. It is just easier to handle sometimes. These are also the people that have a tendency to ask you how you are only to cut you off so that they can talk about themselves, never waiting to even hear your reply. Anyway, only a week and a half into this and Gill has already proven herself to be a beacon that keeps me on track and is a constant source of light and support. I just wish everyone had their own Gillian. She rocks. Last week was the first photo shoot interview. It went quite well as I mentioned. The editor called Gillian back and said she wasn't pleased with the photographers pictures of the jewelry and wanted to send another photographer out for a re-shoot. When Gill gave the o.k., the reporter called me to set it up. She was going to be sending the new photographer solo and was hoping to do the shoot outside. The suggestion came that why don't we use Grouse Mountain. It's local, they have a great setting and so on. But wait, remember who we are dealing with here... it's me. It is my mission to bring my own beloveds along with me on this journey so of course I insisted we use the Capilano Suspension Bridge. It is the most magical, west coast beautiful, family owned and operated sanctuary that I know of and it just so happens that the family is actually personal friends of mine. I know I have mentioned this in a past blog, but the bridge is so exquisite I just cannot speak highly enough about it. I called the Cap Bridge got permission to bring cameras in and they were more than happy to host us. I met the cameraman there. He had half a dozen different cameras strapped to him and we were off. It is funny how different these two cameramen we had dealt with were. The first one was click click click, and he got his shot. This other one was 'an artist'. He framed the shot several times, moved the jewelry on a rock by the water because the pearls reminded him of water droplets... at one point I remember saying to myself ' dude... the picture is of the jewelry, not a wilderness spread'! LOL He was serious about his craft and I totally appreciate that. I was unable to see many of the hundreds... yes hundreds of different shots he took, but a couple of them really were beautiful. Unfortunately he asked me to be in a few of them which... ugh... I was not in hair & make up and I just felt 'ughs' that day. Awe well, that's how it goes. You need to put all vanity behind you and just be confident in the fact that it is the jewelry that is meant to be beautiful... and as humbly as I can say it... it was. The second photo shoot would not have happened if it hadn't been for my new friend ' Cookie'. I met her earlier this year at pick up and drop off. Somehow over the year she and I began to chat more and more. I don't know about anyone else, but in my world if I love yah, I love yah and it does not matter how long I have know you. This is the case with Cookie. The first time I heard her laugh, I loved her. She has that laugh that comes from deep within and it is authentic. 'Cookie' is one of those girls who is not caught up in superficial chit chat or trying to be one of the cool moms at pick up... you know the ones, all dressed up talking about where they get their nails done, what chic restaurant they dined at the night before, where they will be vacationing at over the next school break. Gag me. Anyway- Cookie is not one of them and that just made me love her more. The real seal on the deal was that my kids love her. Okay I am rambling, point is I love Cookie she is one of my new besties and she saved my ass the other day. I had 'The B. Man' at home with me the day I was called for the re shoot and no sooner did I think who can I ask to watch him for an hour or so, did the phone ring. It was 'Cookie' being her sweet self. I didn't even really acknowledge the sweet reason she was calling, rather, I cut her off and asked her if she could help out with my little guy. Of course she stepped up and was happy to do so. The only person more grateful than me was my 'The B. Man' he loves going to her house and hanging with her little ones. So thank 'Cookie' you are a keeper. Muah! Some of you have emailed when will this last interview air... it will be published in Saturday Jan 29th's Vancouver Sun. You can see it all there. :)

20 Years Later... What Have You Been Up To?

There is an old saying, "Don't burn your bridges. You never know who you will meet again in the future." Don't I know it! In the past 6 weeks I have reunited with a few peeps I knew 20 yrs ago and hadn't seen since. The first one I will call 'Tres'. She and I have crossed paths a couple of times over the past decade; however, it wasn't until this past November that we really reconnected. I saw her at a mutual friend's house sale and we began chatting. After our quick catch up I invited her to join me at a annual house party I co-host with a few of my bff's here on the North Shore. I was happy to extend the invitation to a fellow woman/artist, entrepreneur. I love supporting everyone I know, but especially working women who are following their passion. Since then she has done the same for me and supported me in ways I could have never imagined. She returned the favor tenfold when she suggested Buddha & The Raven be included in the Oscar gift bags. It was 'Tres' who opened the door for me and I am forever grateful. It will be 'Tres' and I who will take our goods to the Oscars together next year. She is presently working on a new website as she has just launched the most beautiful line of jewelry that I have seen in awhile. It is different than my own and different than anything else out there. She sources antique charms, keys, chains and such and rededicates them into new pieces of jewelry. Yes, there is some similar jewelry out there but NONE are actually recycled antiques. I am just so inspired by her and it is such an honour to pick up our friendship in a lovely and meaningful way. The second blast from the past came in one of those moments when you want to crawl under a rock. I saw 'J' one day in October when I was picking up 'Miss.B' I literally walked past him and did a double take. I said hello right away, asked about his family and asked where he was living, and then realized by the look on his face, that he had no freaking idea who the hell I was. Granted I still have 40 extra baby pounds on me ( can you still call them baby pounds 4 yrs later? :) ) But still, not only did we hang out regularly for a while, he also dated my roommate... that is another story for another time. Anyway- since then we have realized that our children go to school together and he now lives part time in a town I used to live in and we know the same people there. Crazy. Anyway- I have since reminded him who I was (' j' is for jerk btw- in a loving way of course) and it is always nice to see him at pick-up. He really is great guy. The Third just happened this week. I was on Facebook and had commented on my girlfriend's status. If you know FB you know that anytime you comment on someone's photo or status, it informs you when anyone does the same after you. This was the case, and when I saw the name I inquired on the post if it was the same ( I will call him '930') '930' from back when we both lived in Yaletown- before Yaletown was hip, rather, back when it was edgy and funky. Sure enough it was the same person. We soon 'friended' and got all caught up. It was so nice to hear that the past couple of decades have been mostly kind to him and that he still has his vibrant spirit that makes people love him. '930' was the roommate of a person I dated briefly... turns out the guy was a single scoop of vanilla and I was more like a banana split with extra whip... a little too wild for the poor guy. I feel for him. I am a lot to handle on a good day now, and just as much so back then. Anyway, in that time I had some great times with '930' he was a riot. It only makes perfect bizarre sense to discover that we now share a ton of friends in common. It is a wonder how our paths haven't crossed sooner. He lives in my neighbourhood practically! At any rate, here we are and I look forward to introducing '930' and his family to the 'Silver Fox' and our family. It is a small world. I believe there is a cosmic shift happening right now because I know more people who are seriously happy, and are in the middle of great changes that have them excited and empowered. If you have been following my blog for any length of time you know that there is nothing I love more than seeing my beloveds living an inspired life. I know I have experienced a cosmic shift- you all know how incredible the past few weeks have been. It really feels like the stars have aligned. For some reason this trinity from 20 yrs ago has resurfaced and I am interested to wait and see how and why now? Stay tuned... Love & Light, t.