90 YEARS WISE (my daughter came-up with the title)

When I was 89, no one asked me if I had any words of wisdom.  Now that I’m 90, people just assume I have something wise to tell them.  I knew some of these things years ago, but no one asked me.  So now I will share with you some of the things I learned (mostly the hard way). 

•  Don’t look to your children to make you happy.  It’s not their responsibility. Just enjoy and love them.  They are the greatest gift you will ever receive. 

• No one is in charge of your happiness but you.    

• Don’t look back over your past and wish you had made better choices.        Forgive yourself for the stupid decisions you made.  Make smarter ones for your future. 

• Life is too short to waste it worrying about wrinkles, gray hair and age spots.

• Don’t put off telling your family and friends that you love them, and tell  them often.

• Don’t put off using your good things.  You don’t have to wear things out before you use your new towels, sheets and lingerie. 

• Forgive yourself for everything, and forgive everyone else for everything.When something bad happens, deal with it, and move on.

• Don’t take life too seriously, it isn’t permanent.  (I read that somewhere).

• Keep your old friends and make new younger friends.  Friends keep you young.

• Don’t let other people determine what is best for you.

• Be an “I feel great person.”  When someone says, “Hi, how are you?” don’t tell them about your aches and pains.  No one cares if your back aches or your knees hurt, or you didn’t get enough sleep last night.  “Hi, how are you” is a salutation, not an opening for a health report.  When asked, just say fine, wonderful or great!  They will remember you for that.

My Girlfriend's Closet

I thought this would be a cool post to do every once in awhile -- My Girlfriend's Closet. Because, well, other people's closets (and clothes) seem to be more interesting than our own.

Why is that?

Does familiarity with our wardrobe breed contempt?

I think yes, yes it does. So now the question is: What the hell do we do with this information?
Throw out all our clothes? Buy new ones? Yikes! Clearly not -- because, unless you're Katie Holmes and ready to spread your wings and about to come into a bajillion dollars, then, well, you've got to work with what you've got.

First step: What have you got?
If you're anything like me, I think I'm all organized until life gets a little harried and then bam!

Closet Explosion! Not pretty. Especially when I looked at my husband's closet...

Show-off. And this is actually a little messy for him. Anyway, the fact that it was getting harder to pick out an outfit for work and the sight of my husband's closet got me motivated to clean up my act and see what I had.

Here's where it got worse before it got better:

Hats and Belts -- who knew I owned so many? And scarves, you can't believe the amount of scarves. It's all good though. I finally got the rest of the winter things put away, good thing since we're hitting high 90s every day. I bagged items for donation, set items aside for mending -- I'm sure I'll do that soon cough, cough.


And Voila!

Okay, so I know what I've got, how about you?
Next time I'll show you some magical non-matchy-matchy match-ups.

TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS... and, Hello Stranger

We're baa-ack.

Hello darling dearests, while my mom's and seester's fingers were itching for some action I had contracted the dreaded disease of EXPLODING LIFE! And could not bring myself to write any posts or to post anyone else's writings.

And then I read something -- not something my mother wrote (even though, I would have arrived at the same place, but who listens to their mother's?), it was something in a book: and within this book the author says these words: "I was committed to the end of suffering." She goes on to say, that either you get to the end of suffering or you don't. You choose. It was as if I were hit on the head with that horseshoe on the cover. BAM!

I had a choice to wallow in suffering or to choose to "carry on" so to speak. Which, by the way is not the same thing as denial -- I was not blind to the intricacies of my life, but I made a conscious choise not to let them rule my life. I chose happiness, I chose not to suffer.

And then I found a Positive Support Letter (a newsletter my mom, Joan Kennedy wrote in the early 90s) this one from 1993, here's what I read:

*Every condition, every experience you have in your life is the result of your mental and emotional activity. If you don't have the conditions you want, there is no one to blame. You can't look to others to make your life more than it is. Your life is an individual responsibility, an individual opportunity and an individual experience.

You are the only person who thinks in your mind. You have the power to decide what you want in your life.


You have the capacity to choose love, wealth, success and happiness. 


(Me: We have the choice, I have the choice. Wow! Wish I had actually READ this in 1993)

Your mind will accept and bring to pass in a natural way whatever you assume and believe to be true.


(Hello!)

Ideas will occur to you to show you how to develop and grow. Opportunities for achieving your objectives will be presented to you for your progress.


(This is where it gets exciting. I'm reading the book, I decide not suffer, but to be happy -- suffering kept me from posting to this blog, posting to my writing blog , and writing fiction.

Once I made the commitment to be happy to come to the end of suffering, I started visiting blogs I used to read and found out about a Fast Draft opportunity (detailed in my writing blog post) I joined in! First day was yesterday, I wrote 8 pages. Eight! If you're a writer, you know that's a lot (my goal is 20 a day!). Then I posted in my writing blog (hadn't done that since... a few months ago) then I posted here.

For some reason Those Kennedy Women was my biggest sticking point. Maybe because it is a joint venture, and the fact I had let down my cohorts (my thought, not theirs). It was like having an overdue library book and hating to bring it back because of the fine and the librarian and just not returning it to spare yourself from the humiliation... sorry, my childhood memory. I actually work in a library now and I would NEVER think to shame someone for an overdue item.

But, now the dam is burst! And the flow of words and ideas are back. Keep me honest, or, better yet, I'll keep myself honest.

The next time you think a negative thought about yourself or your life, ask yourself if you want to experience that thought in your life.


You are in control of your thoughts and your words. This moment is where the change begins. 




*all italics are Joan's words.


So, what's your choice?

It’s the STUFF that Dreams are made of…

Stuff is probably the one thing we all have in common.

 The Stuff starts to accumulate when you decide to move out of your

 parent’s home, and into your own apartment. Now that you have your own space,

 the first thing you need to do is to fill it with your own stuff.

You decide what kind of stuff you want.

  Remember your stuff is an expression of your style. You also have to

 decide, right up front, what stuff will be displayed and what stuff will be put in

 kitchen cupboards or in drawers. Usually, anything that is functional is put behind

 doors or in drawers. 

When you start out to collect stuff, you have many styles to choose from.

 You can decorate with Victorian, French Country, Contemporary, Primitive, or

 Colonial, stuff.   

Keep in mind, your stuff reflects who you are.

There may come a time when you get bored with your stuff, and want new stuff.

 You can give your old stuff to family or friends, who like your stuff, or

donate to the Goodwill, or the Salvation Army – they like stuff too.  And while

you’re there, you might as well browse on the off chance you’ll find some stuff

you don’t have.

Finally, the day comes when you start thinking about downsizing your

space, and moving into something smaller.  You now (again) have to decide what

stuff you’ll sell, give away to family, friends or donate.  

The there will always be stuff you just can’t part with. So you put the

 sentimental stuff in boxes and take it with you.

You finally arrive at your new space, and unpack your stuff.  You arrange

It in the space you now have. The stuff you don’t have room for can always be

 Boxed-up and stored in closets or under your bed. That my friends, is just the

 nature of stuff.

Question:  Is there more stuff in your future?

Color Changes Everything, well okay, Almost Everything

by: Patty Kennedy

What are you painting in 2012...A kitchen, a bath, a family room?

Now that the frightful weather has arrived, we need something to keep us occupied and to cheer up our space, even if it's just pouring over color chips.

Greens, oranges, blues and pinks are the colors for 2012. The more vibrant the color, the better. If you’re afraid of color try using it in a small area like a bath room. I think once you try it you’ll be hooked. If you're still not convinced, there are a number of inspiring neutrals out there to choose from as well. And even if you are stuck inside for a few days, there are several paint companies who offer, low and no, VOC products. They cost a little more, but worth the price if the windows need to stay closed or you have small children.

Paint chips vs Samples

Small paint chips work well when you're trying to decide what colors to pick, but once you've narrowed it down, don't use the small chips to decide if the color is right for your room. If the paint manufaturer does not offer the large sheets of color samples, buy the small sample containers; especially if you will be covering a dark color. This gives a truer picture of what the color will look like.

Supplies

1. Brushes and roller

2. paint pan

3. Spackle

4. Painter's tape DO NOT USE MASKING TAPE. NO REALLY!

5. Drop cloths. Old sheets work well. Don't use plastic on floors, you'll slip.

6. Sturdy step stool or ladder.

7. Paint - screw driver to open

Prepare, Protect and Putty

No shorcuts here. You spend too much money and too much time to miss important steps while preparing your room to paint.

1. Remove electrical plates and wall switches.

2. Cover any furniture that can't be moved out of the area.

3. Wipe all surfaces, that you'll be taping, with a damp cloth.

4. Tape trim and around windows and doors. No matter how steady you think you will be, you won't.

5. Lightly sand if your existing paint has a sheen or if painting a kitchen.

6. Use a primer to cover marks that can bleed through the paint. Example: Anything a 3 year old would use on the wall.

7. Spackle nail holes and dings. Sand the spackle flat after it dries.

Now We Paint

Use a brush to paint (cut in) the trim, ceiling and corners. As you finish brushing trim on each wall, roll immediately. Then move to the next wall surface.

Admire your work =)

Tips and Tricks

If you absolutely have to use masking tape, take the stick off by rubbing it on upholstered furniture first.

If you need to stop for a short time, instead of washing the paint brush, or roller wrap in a ziplock bag. This will prevent it from drying out or having to wait for the washed brush to dry.

To remove dried paint (latex) from brushes, soak in Lestoil.

Store leftover paint in an empty (washed) peanut butter jar. Saves space and gives you a snapshot of each color.

Watch out, I'm looking at wallpaper books.

A NEW YEAH!

by: Amy Kennedy

Yeah, I said yeah, not year.

I know -- a little corny, right? I got your attention, though, at least to tell me I spelled year wrong. Which I didn't...

Don't you love it when something gets you excited? Gets you revved? Gets you motivated to do something, change something, start something?

Oh yeah.

Of course you do, you're no dummy. You know that a motivated woman is a sexy woman.

The New Yeah! is all about figuring out what gets you to that magical point;

fashion,

cooking,

a new job,

going back to school,

a new baby,

family,

writing,

painting,

creating,

knitting,

sewing,

friends,

travel...

Phew, you get the point. 

So, do you know your Yeah!? 

It could be a combo platter of exciting things, or one thing you've always wanted to do. The cool thing is, figuring it out becomes a kind of yeah! moment as well. It makes you step out of what you know and into what you don't. And nothing invigorates, or as I like to say, scares the crap out of us, as the unknown.

Now, maybe figuring out your life's passion of crocheting baby booties doesn't induce mind numbing fear. Yet, if thinking of a way to market and sell said booties makes your eyeballs clack, then that's the place to start.

Challenge yourself to find your passion, then take it a step further -- make your heart beat a little faster -- what if you made gifts, gave your time, or (yikes) made money with what you love. What ever it is, do it.

What's your dream? What have people (our your inner critic) told you, you can't do? Tell us.

New Yeah! New Yay! New Yah-oo!

Is Your Closet Filled with Nothing to Wear?

by: Joan Kennedy

According to the experts, 55% of the impact you make depends on how you look and behave, 38% on how you speak and only 7% on what you say, If you look well put together, you start with an advantage. 

Unfortunately we’ve all experienced times when we didn’t feel good about our appearance, and consequently, our thoughts focused on how we looked, and it made us uncomfortable in the presence of others. 

When you are satisfied with the way you look, you have an inner security which allows you to concentrate on things other than yourself.

To be well dressed doesn’t take a closet bursting with clothes, but rather having a few well chosen pieces in which you always feel at ease in. 

To begin with, never compare fashion to style.  Fashion is what’s happening in designers' show rooms, runways and in fashion magazines. To figure out your personal style, you have to come to terms with your body. Really look at yourself, then decide what you’d like to emphasize, and what you need to balance.  

Style comes through self-acceptance and dressing for yourself. Style is about utilizing the best aspects of you.

Through wise planning you can choose a few things that go together and look like many. That’s why it’s smart to select a basic color, such as black, navy blue, grey, brown or beige and build around it.  Neutral colors are also easier to accessorize.

Everyone needs to have one basic suit, so you won’t ever have to say, “I don’t have a thing to wear.” A suit with matching pants or skirt can be accessorized to create a variety of looks. The suit is a garment you will wear more often if you accessorize it with scarves, blouses, sweaters, belts, and jewelry, and will give your wardrobe versatility.

Once your closet is stocked with great basics, accessories are the easiest and most cost efficient way to update your wardrobe from season to season. Paying attention to fashion magazines, store windows and in-store displays will give you new ideas in accessorizing.

In the final analysis, a good basic wardrobe should consist of clothing with the look of simplicity, clean lines, good tailoring and good fabric. You want your wardrobe to reflect your inner strength and confidence.

As the old axiom goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

What would you like your first impression to be?

WELCOME!

We would love to extend a formal welcome to the blog. Welcome!

Make yourself comfy, grab a cup of coffee or tea, or whatever; look around, we've got some cool pages at the top:

10 MOST WANTED is our take on style d'ohs!
WHAT YOU SHOULD READ...is just that -- click on the tab and the page will be below our gigantic picture.

Our blogging schedule looks like this:
Mondays: recharging your attitude and outlook.
Wednesdays: refreshing your home.
Fridays: reviving your closet (clothes closet, that is).

We'll throw some other things into the pot now and then -- and of course, we'll listen to you, and figure out what you'd like on here too.

There are other Kennedy women (I mean the ones related to us) and some Kennedy men too -- just to keep it fresh. So have fun and we'll see you back here soon!