I finally did something I’ve been planning to do for ages. I got my own domain! Which means, yes, I’m self-hosted and not writing over here anymore.
I’d love it if you’d visit me at www.melanygallant.com and tell me what you think of my new blogging digs. Oh and the new feed is available here.
Thanks!
Inner demons are vicious buggers, yes.
Picking away at your insecurities, gleefully.
Making minor incidences major, so silly.
Spoiling the riches of self-worth, pity.
Sometimes gradual, not immediately noticed. Or,
In a blink, confidence drops; flustered.
Stomach lurches, thoughts scramble for safety.
Until deep breath, decision steeled; locked.
I call peace. Enough. I’m busy.
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This Six Word Fridays prompt is all about peace. The flowers pictured here are called frangipani (aka plumeria) – one of my favourite flowers. I feel peace when looking at them. What brings you peace?
For more thoughts on this Six Word Fridays theme, visit Melissa’s blog.
* Image credit to IkklePiranha via deviantart.com.
I’m a big fan of What Not to Wear and the advice that Stacy and Clinton give to the wardrobe-challenged guests who appear on their show.
Like always choose a darker wash denim, look for suit jackets that enhance your waist, don’t be afraid of colour and pattern.
One of their biggest advice shares – especially to moms – is to always look polished, even when running errands, taking the kids to the park, etc.
They don’t mean look glamorous at all times. It’s more about looking put together. Like you made an effort beyond grabbing the nearest yoga pants and slouchy t-shirt in arm’s reach.
And while I agree to an extent, sometimes looking polished is the least of my concerns.
It’s this thing called time constraints. Let me give you an example.
Today, I rushed home from work, changed into my workout gear and headed to the park with my trainer to work on my fitness.
The park equals grass and working out equals getting on the ground and doing crunches and the like.
I forgot my yoga mat. Which means grass stuck to my butt. A lot of it.
I was able to brush most of it off, but not all of it. And at the end of my gruelling sweat-a-thon, I needed to hop in the car and run errands before DH and DD arrived home.
I had two choices: run inside to change and waste precious time getting myself presentable. Or hop into the car – grassed up as I was – and get those errands done.
I chose to go the way of the grass.
While standing in line at my local Pizza Pizza (don’t judge…I worked out hard!) I felt a friendly tap on my shoulder. A kind young woman let me know I had grass on my butt.
I said, “Thanks, yes I know” with a bit of a self-deprecating laugh. She responded, “Oh, ha, ha” and red-faced, quickly turned away.
I think she was embarrassed for me.
Which just goes to show. Stacy and Clinton are obviously right about the importance of making an effort to look presentable.
But in the end, that grass-laden butt of mine saved me time. Which today at least, took precedence.
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Confession: If I was going anywhere other than the local pizza joint and drugstore I probably would have changed. But don’t you agree that sometimes, what really counts is time and not the state of your wardrobe?
* Image sourced via Beyond the Fields We Know
I heart shoes and handbags. Honestly,
What gal doesn’t? But my wallet…
Well, she holds a different view,
Stout penny-pincher that she is.
Choose one, the other, or none.
My common sense agrees, oh but…
My heart asks…why not both?
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I don’t know what it is about the changing of seasons but I always want new shoes and a new handbag. Sigh…is it the same for you?
This week’s Six Word Fridays prompt is ‘Why Not’…so why not head on over to Melissa’s blog to read more creations on this theme!
* Photo credit to Ann Dabney via Flickr.
There are only 9 sleeps until Blissdom Canada! Okay, well ten sleeps if you don’t include the Kick-off Reception Thursday night.
Like many of my fellow attendees, I am soooo looking forward to this conference. Perhaps you’ve seen us tweeting about it for the past year? 😉
For those of you who don’t know, Blissdom Canada is a two-day conference for women who love blogging, social media and other digital media goodness. It’s all about networking and learning. And fun!
Last year’s conference was the first of its kind in Canada, and I was lucky enough to win a ticket. It was an amazing experience. I was all Ooh! Gee! Wow! at every session I attended. (For real…I could gush on and on.)
I came away with a broader understanding about how to find my voice, my niche, my twist. I learned something else important too. That when it came to writing for my blog, I was letting fear hold me back. Fear of failure, fear of sucking, fear of expressing too much of myself.
I learned that these other women who joined me at the conference all faced the same fear at one point or another. But here they were sharing these amazing personal stories of success and community, and yes, of failure too.
This year I’ve already planned what I want to get out of the conference.
Here are my goals:
For those of you attending Blissdom Canada for the first time, you are going to be amazed at how inclusive the conference is. People are warm, friendly and genuinely interested in getting to know you.
From the speakers to the attendees, there is this openness, this willingness to help you grow. It’s sounds so corny but I guarantee, you will find the experience inspirational.
And if you’re shy, well just read Sara’s post here and Sharon’s post here to realize you’re not alone, and that others will be feeling the same way as you.
For the record, I’d love to chat with you so please say hi. And don’t be surprised if I walk up and say hi first. 🙂
See you in TO!
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Photo credit to fashioncentral.ca
I just downloaded a new app called ColorSplash that converts your images to black and white and then lets you select a certain element to keep in colour.
It’s simple to do and fun.
I took this picture at the Carp Fair last Sunday. A gorgeous day to go to the fair!
A giant gourd makes a great seat! A ‘gourd’ time at the fair…ha!
The app comes with great tutorials too and with a $0.99 price tag, is a sweet deal. Go check it out!
In July, I won a sweet contest run by @boredmommy on her blog. It was a giveaway of iQ products. Heard of them?
If not, you need the scoop.
iQ is the genius of Planet People (@PlanetPeopleco). It’s a line of eco-friendly cleaning products. No green-washing here!
What I won was the iQ Bathroom Cleaner, the All-Purpose Cleaner and the Glass Cleaner. Planet People also make a Floor Cleaner that I haven’t yet tried.
I’ve been using iQ for a solid three months and the products are fantastic.
Me the happy iQ consumer.
(Great hand modelling skills, right?)
What I love about iQ is that the products actually work. And added bonus – they smell good.
No harsh chemicals masked behind a stinky perfume blanket!
Essentially you fill your iQ plastic bottle with water, add the iQ refill cartridge, screw on the spray nozzle and you’re all set.
The best part is that when the cleaner runs out, you simply plunk in a new refill cartridge.
It costs a whole let less than buying a new full bottle of cleaning solution and also means you cut down on plastics: $5.47 for the bottle and cartridge and $2.50 for the refill cartridge.
Did I mention that the products really work? I live with a toddler, a man and two cats. Their mess is no match for iQ.
So if you’re tired of choking on chemicals when chore time comes around, give iQ a try. Then let me know what you think! I’m curious to find out if you’ll love it as much as I do.
Here’s a quick explanation of how iQ works that I grabbed off of YouTube:
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Endnote: thank you to BoredMommy and Planet People for the fantastic giveaway. It doesn’t make housecleaning all that exciting, but it makes it a lot more enjoyable. 🙂
There are a lot of things
I wanted to do this Fall
But I’ve had to prioritize because
There is no pace set faster
Than life with a toddler, and…
Truth: You can’t do it all.
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This post is a sad tribute (lament?) about the straight-to-the-heart fact that I can’t attend the ShesConnected Conference anymore. 😦 With a business trip to Atlanta this month and Blissdom Canada next month, ShesConnected got squeezed out. Three trips in a 5-week window is not doable. I’d miss my family too much. But just let me whine about it here a little bit, okay?
Now hop on over to Melissa’s blog – there are some Six Word Friday gems waiting for you.
how the past and the present
connect is an interesting landscape, divided
not by time or memory, but
by action and experience. framed, frozen
or kept perpetually in motion. painting
a canvas of thoughts, feelings. morphed
into a kaleidoscope world where you
make choices to relive or live!
a process of being – of seeing.
if you are what you are
from what was, ask yourself. decide.
what will i choose to become?
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So much of our past and present shapes who we are, but the future is not set in stone. We must choose to move towards what we want to be. I’m working on that. 🙂
I totally free-formed this poem so no idea if it makes sense. What do you take from it?
For some Six Word Friday readeliciousness, head on over to Melissa’ blog.
* image source: here.
For this Wordless Wednesday I give you four photos that represent life with a toddler chez Gallant…
Trying on the the new coat from Grandma. My, don’t I look good!
Suddenly…the mood turns…
See the finger pointing in the bottom left frame?
A stern warning to Dolly. ‘Time out, Dolly. Time out.”
OK – let’s make silly faces in the camera!
Laugh and laugh…whew! Good mood returns.
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Up…down…up…down. We all have those days. Good thing we can laugh about it at the end. 😉
Mel Gallant 