Transitions - How I've Done It

Let's start at the beginning and take a look at how I managed my transitions - plural. 

First, it was a matter of knowing myself, really knowing myself, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I'm not perfect by any means, but I know what I like, and I know what I am capable of, which is a good place to start. If you've never spent time with yourself and really explored your heart's desires and mapped them to your talents and interests, I highly recommend that be your starting point.

This all sounds simple, and from a process standpoint, it is. The hard part is you. Deciding what it is you want to do, what you love doing, and what you're good at. There are thousands upon thousands of self-help books out there that can provide assistance in this area. I have found a book called "Pathfinder" by Nicholas Lore to be one of my go-to sources. Also, get away from your home, your routine, and distractions. The only way to be clear is to get clear, and that means spending some time alone with yourself. Remember to be kind to yourself in this process; no one gets life perfect on the very first try.

Once I had done the soul-searching I needed to do, I started organizing my thoughts, desires, and goals. And for the friends that know me know that I have whiteboards fastened to the walls in my home office, where I often do brainstorming sessions for myself and others. Only you know what you want to do, but outside counsel from friends can provide you with how you message and articulate what it is that you offer. Don't discount the wisdom of others, especially those from your inner circle of trust agents.

Back in 2004, after leaving a corporate job, I decided to make it official and create a company. I first came up with some names and ran them through the state of Texas to see if they were available. Once I secured QSR Analytics, LLC, I received my tax ID number and called my bank to set up a business account, and contacted a printer for business cards and stationary. And since my last writing, I have, once again, updated the company name to PLC Strategies, LLC for Product LifeCycle Strategies.

When starting a business, it's important to decide what type of business you want, such as a sole proprietor, a Limited Liability Corp, an S-Corp, or something else. This is based upon the type of industry that you're in and, certainly, if you plan on having any employees or shareholders.

For me, it was a relatively easy choice. I decided that an LLC was pertinent to my business endeavors. Of course, these are the physical mechanics of setting up a business. As mentioned in my previous post, it's important too that you discuss your business idea with your accountant as your tax status may be impacted. For me, I found that having the LLC, regardless of where I was working, helped tremendously. When I'm working for myself, I run revenue and expenses through the company and pay myself a salary. One of the benefits of owning your own business is the simple fact that you can set aside up to 20% or $52K annually of your "salary" on a pre-tax basis, like that of an IRA. This is called a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP). Just think, when you work for a company, and you pay into a 401K, you're limited to about $17K annually. Something to definitely consider if you're like me and looking to maximize savings and investments for the later years of life.

I know that not everyone reading this post is interested in venturing into owning their own business. Some are at the crossroads of doing something else in life, such as going back to school or doing more volunteer and philanthropic work, and that, too, takes courage. Transitions are really about change. We humans normally don't like change. I guess I'm different as I do like change. To me, my idea of hell is to be stuck doing the same thing for the rest of my life. I simply could not survive. Thus the reason I have spent most of my career in the world of consulting. Consulting provides me with variety and allows me to help people and companies to solve problems and make improvements. Of course, I also have the publishing company too, which feeds my need for creativity, and brings in that feeling of satisfaction that has been missing these past few years.

In my next post, I'll continue to discuss some of the processes that I used to determine the direction for myself and my businesses. 

Giving Thanks For The Women In Our Lives

Thanksgiving, that time of year when we reflect on the blessings in our lives, has always been my favorite of all the holidays.  Although I try to celebrate gratitude all year long, it’s nice to have a time when everyone comes together as a whole to channel thankfulness. As we approach this day of joy, and recognition of blessings, I’m beginning my annual retrospective.

Last summer I began the Little Yellow House Publishing endeavor with my friend and superwoman MaryAnne Schweers. All those who know both of us breathed a collective “Finally, they are cultivating their true gift, and sharing it with the world.” This gift was apparent when we were young, but as happens in life, we were herded into making a living, and told that following dreams could be detrimental to our pocketbooks. Reality vs. Ideal.

Since before I can remember I was a reader. My mother read to me everyday at bedtime. When I could read for myself, my Mom and I would take turns reading paragraphs out loud before I went to bed each night. She made it a point to guide me toward books about strong women, or books with strong female leads. She wanted me to be inspired to shine as a person, and as a girl. Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Ryrie Brink, was one of the many books that resonated with me.

My other Mom, Dale, was also instrumental in fanning the flames of reading. She introduced me to Nancy Drew. I couldn’t get enough of the series, I loved the mystery, and intrigue. I wanted to be Nancy Drew. I kept, and collected, each book and still have the series in my possession. Full disclosure I’ve read each of those books more than a few times each, and ultra full disclosure I re-read at least one a year to this day.

MaryAnne also grew up with parents that were avid readers and specifically had a Mother that was a teacher. When MaryAnne was able to read for herself, she spent time reading the various books written for young people by Judy Blume. Who remembers the stories about Super Fudge, Fudge-a-mania, Flubber and Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing? She also read the Hobbit trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S Lewis and Titki Tavi and the Jungle Book by the famed Rudyard Kipling. Suffice it to say, if MaryAnne was a kid today she would have been nose deep into Harry Potter and the Hunger Games.

As I thought about reading and how it shaped my life I revisited my list of all time favorites and thought I’d share.

1.     Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen

2.     Rebecca – Daphne DuMaurier

3.     Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte

4.     Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell

5.     The Diary of Anne Frank – Anne Frank

6.     Pollyanna – Eleanor H. Porter

7.     Dangerous Island – Helen Mather-Smith Mindlin

8.     Pippi Longstocking – Astrid Lindgren

9.     Charlotte’s Web – E. B. White

So what were your favorite books growing up and why? We'd love to hear from you.

In the meantime, MaryAnne and I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Ladies of the Southwest: A Series

In my last post, I wrote about my interest in historical fiction, well I have yet another passion which involves learning about the women who settled the old west. We're starting a series entitled "Ladies of the Southwest” which we’ll highlight some of the women that we’ve researched, and how they impacted life as we know it today.

As a typical Texas kid, my parents and I spent many a summer in northern New Mexico and western Colorado. We camped, hiked and took many a drive up roads normally restricted to logging trucks, resulting in my current aversion to road trips or spending time in a tent. In my early career as luck would have it, I would return to New Mexico. I worked for a major government contractor, which had me working with clients all across the great state of New Mexico. My clients at the time ranged from technology companies, Ph.D’s from the National Labs, the US Department of Defense, actors, and the Native American tribes inhabiting that part of the southwest. I love to tell people my office in Santa Fe, New Mexico was conveniently located between the Santa Fe Country Club and the Buddhist temple. Most would think that an odd location for an office but for Santa Fe, it was the norm. Upon spending time in the Land of Enchantment I became ever more curious about why artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe, D.H. Lawrence, Ansel Adams, Willa Cather and others were so attracted to the area. Of course if you've ever been to Northern New Mexico, it's the view of the mesa's and Sangre de Cristo mountain range, the spectacular sunrises and sunsets, the clean mountain air, the fragrance of pinon burning in fireplaces, and certainly the red and green chile. 

In one of the most recent books that I read, "Ladies of the Canyons", by Lesley Poling-Kempes, she wrote about the women who settled the Southwest long before the artists showed up. Just to entice you about this book, did you know that the Ghost Ranch, made popular by one of it's best known residents, Georgia O'Keeffe, was actually won in a poker match? A woman by the name of Carol Bishop Stanley, a wealthy woman from New England moved to the Santa Fe area in the early 1920’s and first began running Bishop Ranch and with her then husband. Over the years she and her husband ran various dude ranches in New Mexico. But by the time Carol reached her early 50’s she decided to divorce her husband and develop the Ghost Ranch with help from East Coast friends that were able to entice their friends to visit the Ghost Ranch just around the time of the great depression.

Another woman that I found absolutely fascinating was Natalie Curtis, also from a wealthy East Coast family. Because Natalie was a trained musician and singer, she became enchanted with the traditional songs sung by the Native Americans and began recording and writing making record of the ceremonials songs, which had never been written down. While she was embarking upon this task, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) had a different idea and were forcing the tribes to become anglicized by cutting their hair and only speaking English. Being that Natalie’s family were friends with President Teddy Roosevelt, Natalie returned to the east to personally petition the former President to stop the BIA and continue with her efforts which she successfully accomplished. 

Having read “ Ladies of the Canyons” and a number of other books on Georgia O'Keeffe, Mabel Dodge Luhan, Isabella Bird, Agnes Morley Cleveland and others, I have always wondered what drew these women to such rough and rustic land between the 1880's to the 1920's. While reading Ms. Poling-Kempes book I happened upon a statement that answered my question: "All of these women lived lives that subtly or overly sanctioned the code of the New Woman. Marriage was a choice, not a dictum, and in New Mexico even middle aged divorced women were given a place in society."

Look for more stories about interesting and heroic women who settled the western frontier paving a way for generations to follow.

Historical Fiction And Why We Like It

Historical fiction, what is it exactly? We at Little Yellow House Publishing describe it as taking real people and events that have transpired in the past and adding fictional twists and turns to the story. We take a topic or story and add intrigue or humor, especially stories where mysteries still abound with conspiracy theories. Living in Dallas, Texas,  one of the premiere conspiracy theories that people still discuss at the evening dinner table is the JFK assassination and who was really behind the killing of the 35th President? Some believe Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone shooter since he had ties to Russia whereas others believe that the mafia ended the President's life that fateful day in Dallas. So when we look at stories such as these, where there's no solid answers, we feel they're ripe for added interpretation. 

One of my personal favorites that's a classic is Willa Cather's book "Death comes for the archbishop." Here's a great example of historical fiction. Ms. Cather truly described the essence of New Mexico during that particular time period yet the story is considered fiction. Archbishop Lamy was a real man and the families from Las Vegas, New Mexico that were described are pretty close to today's reality. And if you've not read her book, I highly recommend it. It's personally one of my favorites.

The Zion Covenants, by Bodie Thoene, are Tiffany's favorite for good insight into World War II. I've heard her say more than a few times how many parts of history were better explained to her through the eyes of Elisa Lindheim, a concert violinist, and daughter of Theo Lindheim, Department Store owner (and Jew). She would also tell you that she cried crocodile tears when she read about the Ghost Ship, the MS St. Louis, a ship full of Jewish refugees, was not allowed by the United States to dock, sentencing every passenger to an ultimate return to the hell they had tried to escape.

How did we land on this particular topic? Actually we realized that each of us loves history, and we also both enjoy a good fast paced novel. I personally read non-fiction and mostly books on historical events whereas Tiffany, who also enjoys history,  prefers that the history be delivered with some fun plots, intrigue and mystery. In addition we both have journalism as part of our undergraduate degrees and early careers, so we like to take the facts and fancy them up a bit with a little lipstick and mascara.

We have a number of books in the works that fall directly in this category of historical fiction. With both Tiffany and I being natural born Texans, we know there are a lot of great stories about how our State came to be, when Texas was part of Mexico, and the many people who came to this land when it was inhabited by fairly unfriendly people. We have a treasure trove of stories to explore and that we intend to share with you. Get ready, hold onto your hats, we're going to take you on a wild ride!

If you love champagne

If you're like me, champagne is something to enjoy regardless of the day. Certainly champagne has been the symbol of celebration whether it's New Year's, a monumental birthday, wedding toast, or the christening of a new ship. But did you know that champagne really became popular because of a woman by the name of  Barbe-Nicole Clicquot? To read more about this fascinating woman and her push to build one of the strongest brand names in champagne, look for Tilar J Mazzeo's book entitled " The Widow Clicquot." It's a wonderful read and one that will have you enjoying champagne as you encounter every day life. Until then, cheers!

Hair - Fur - Shag

Well, it’s November, you know the month that's famous for turkeys, and the hairy male. I LOVE turkey, but the Movember movement, not so much.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for raising awareness for health issues, and I do love my husband, so men’s health issues matter just as much to me. But seriously, only a man would come up with “hey let’s all grow our hair out, and let our beards go” as the ultimate statement of solidarity.

I mean, think about it, Locks for Love actually uses the hair that’s cut off after it’s grown out, can anything be done with those gross hairy whiskers?

This got me thinking (well this, and the fact I have snow on the ground at my house today) about hairiness in general and why we do, or do not, cut/shave it. I will readily admit shaving is a pain, sometimes literally when you slice yourself open because your hands were slimy from soap, and the razor slips mid-stroke. Ouch.

Ultimately it dawned on me a lot of us girls do the same thing as men do, but instead of just a month, we do it for the whole winter. We just don’t attach a cause to it, because who really wants to see all those pictures of furry women on Facebook?

Being a native Texas girl where it’s hotter than, oh I don’t know, let’s say Hell (not that I know first hand, or that I intend to find out) I spent a lot of time in shorts and bathing suits. All that exposure requires you to shave, often, sometimes twice a day for important stuff.

I did the math on it, and shaving takes up a huge chunk of time over the course of your life. It takes at least four minutes to shave, if you don’t want to butcher yourself, per day. Add that up, it’s 24 hours a year, that’s one whole day out of your life per year, which is really 2 whole days because we don’t shave in our sleep. Yikes!

When I moved to Colorado years ago I noticed how shaggy most of the women were, particularly in winter. I told myself I would never let myself go like that, and kept the promise a whole four months. Midway through my first winter I caught on, what was the point? Once winter hits up here, your body is NEVER uncovered so who’s going to know whether you shaved or not?

The only time it may be mission critical to have smooth legs and pits might be the one, maybe two, times a winter you go to the hot springs. Even then you can still get away with not shaving because most times you go after work, when it’s dark, so who’s going to see?

Exception: when you are single, and headed to the hot springs on a date, then you will get out the chainsaw, sickle, and whatever other heavy duty sharp objects you can find to get rid of your fur. Once the deal is sealed, you can go back to shaggy land.

My ultimate conclusion regarding all the hairiness? It doesn’t look like Movember is going away anytime soon, so, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Shag it up!

The Female Explosion on Television

So, It’s my turn to write for the blog this week, and since I’ve been staring at Scrivener (our book writing software of choice) for the last two hours with absolutely nothing to add, I decided to ramble a bit on the blog and see if it will coax my creativity out of hiding, or the break room in my mind, or wherever she’s decided to flit for the time being.

In a conversation this morning with the fabulous MAS, my writing buddy, the topic came easily to me. You see, we are avid followers, and enjoyers of performing arts, Film/TV/Stage. We love it all.

As co-conspirators, and co-troublemakers we have been known to raise eyebrows, garner snickers, and in many cases inspire (or is that incite riot…I get them confused sometimes), so when we take tangential trips off topic the results more often than not are actually productive. Today was no different.

This morning we were chatting on Skype doing joint research on a scene in our first book, which has strong female leads. We strayed off topic a bit because we were stumbling across great actresses like Geena Davis, and Jodi Foster, Laura Dern, and Susan Sarandon. That rabbit trail led us ultimately to chat about how MANY Television shows this season have strong female leads, and not just a leading female role, but in several cases the whole show is about the female lead.

We could not agree that any one was better than, or more of a favorite than, the others, so I will speak to them in no particular order (but since I’m writing this I may begin with my personal favorite, maybe, or save the best for last, hmmmmm decisions decisions).

Blacklist. We love it! Elizabeth Keane, WOW! And, yes, we do love James Spader, and give him props for being the evocative and compelling co-lead with our dear Lizzy. The writing for her character is outstanding, and Megan Boone delivers, which as a writer (I speak from experience) is the greatest reward. I think Megan is hitting her stride, and we are going to keep an eye on her to see how she grows in her career.

Quantico. First episode grabbed me in the first five minutes and has not let go. Again, excellent writing, and equally fantastic delivery, from not just one female lead, this show is packed with strong women. Whoever did the casting did a great job.  Alex Parish played by Priyanka Chopra is the focal point so far, but there are at least three other strong female leads in this one, and they are carrying their weight in the show just fine. It’s another FBI show, which makes it one of a hundred (just kidding)?

Blindspot. Jane Doe. Jaimie Alexander. Wow. You wake up in the middle of Times Square, butt naked, with complete amnesia, covered in tattoos (and I do mean covered, as in every square inch of skin has a mark that tells a story). The tattoos are basically an elaborate puzzle, which so far has exposed some pretty bad folks on this planet, and some really seedy underhanded stuff going on high up in our government (you know, the folks that we pay to protect us…but I digress). And yes, it’s another FBI show, but it’s like chocolate, we can’t give it up.

How to Get Away with Murder. Hint: this lady won the Emmy for best actress this year. Viola Davis. If you aren’t watching this show you are missing out! Besides the lovely Viola, who plays the formidable Annalise Keating, there are three other women stealing the show on this set. This show has taken more twists and turns, and I have been blindsided more than a few times. About five minutes in each episode I find myself on the edge of my seat thinking, “holy cow, what an amazing team of writers”.

Nashville. Connie Britton plays Rayna James in this tell tale about one of my favorites cities, and my favorite genre of music. This show is all about strong women who get things done, and they don’t take any grief (I've been admonished to clean up my language) from anyone. Every time I sit down to watch this I can’t help but think “who’s gonna spend time under the bus this week?” Hayden Panetierre, and Clare Bowen, flank Connie and together they make a fearsome threesome.

Madam Secretary. Tea Leoni. Secretary of State, Elizabeth McCord. Okay, this one’s my fav, I’ll fess up, and although sometimes there’s some left of center leanings on the writing staff, it manages to stay relatively neutral in its subject matter. I’m a fan of neutral, I like the middle, more people get along there, and that seems to be the case in this show as well. Madam Secretary herself is also a badass, and is adept at maneuvering, I just plain love this show. Kudos to the casting agents for this one, they rounded up a bevy of talent from Bebe Nuewirt (there’s not enough room to list all of her accomplishments, or roles) to Patina Miller, along with Wallis Currie-Wood and Katherine Herzer. The Ladies steal the show. Although not a female, I cannot help myself from mentioning Tim Daly, huminah, seriously, he's on my list, just sayin'.

Grace and Frankie. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Although it’s on Netflix, and it’s been out a while, you simply should not miss it. If you need to laugh, then you need to watch this series. I binge watched it, and was so very sad when I ran out of episodes. Don’t worry though, they are making more. YAY!

We also talked about Revenge, and the two outstanding female roles of Victoria Grayson (Madeline Stowe), and Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), which were riveting from week to week. Sadly, it was cancelled, which was truly okay since the revenge plot had run its course.

Honorable mentions to the actresses who play characters like Clare Underwood (Robin Wright), Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith), Annie Walker (Piper Perabo), Dr. Rachel Scott (Rhona Mitra), and Claire Riesen (Roxanne McKee). These ladies know what they are doing and have honed their craft beyond well.

As our trip down the rabbit trail wound down this morning Mary Anne asked me if I recalled there being this many television shows on at the same time with predominately female leads, and female story lines. I said I’d have to think on it a bit.

In considering the shows I’ve watched, and loved over the years, there haven't been that many in the grand sweep of television. So, I will close my blog entry today with the list of shows that popped into my head while I rewound my memory. Below is a list of the ones that stuck out, I hope when you read the list, they bring a smile to you like they did for me.

·      I love Lucy

·      The Carol Burnett Show

·      The Mary Tyler Moore Show

·      That Girl

·      Bewitched

·      I Dream of Jeannie

·      Laverne and Shirley

·      Charlie’s Angels

·      Alice

·      Moonlighting

·      Designing Women

·      Murphy Brown

·      The Golden Girls

·      Sisters

·      Friends

·      Ally McBeal

·      Sex in the City

New Years and Making Resolutions

Over the past twenty-five years or so I've always looked forward to the week between Christmas and New Year's as a time to give thanks for the things that occurred in my life and to plan ahead in the New Year. Last year was an interesting year for me. I completed a major kitchen renovation project where I served as the General Contractor and saw my designs and ideas come to fruition. I also lost a job where I liked the company but really hated the work and thus decided to take the summer off and explore the options before me. I traveled near and far, saw friends that I haven't seen in a while, I started Little Yellow House Publishing, and I really began to focus my thoughts on what I truly want to do next in life.

Over the years I've kept a journal of sorts where I list out those things that I want to accomplish through my lifetime, places to see, experiences I would like to try, and more. This is where I also write in my journal about those things and persons where I'm grateful. And every year since 1991, I've listed out things that I wanted to accomplish that year. 

This year as I sat down and reviewed my list of things that I was grateful for, I thumbed through my journal and reviewed the years' previous entries and realized that I've accomplished a lot since I began writing those items down. And I will also say that my "tastes" have changed in the past twenty-five years as some things that were once thought to be important are no longer even of interest. What I did find surprising were some of the items that I had listed back in 1991 when I was finishing college and moving on to my MBA. Some of the roles and experiences that I envisioned for myself in the future are beginning to happen now, over twenty-five years later. 

I used to be the consummate type-A personality that had an exact target that I would work towards. Now as I edge ever closer to the age of fifty, I find that I'm less inclined to go into great depths to plan anything. Sure there are a few things that I want to get done but for me personally, my priorities have changed. I want to accomplish more face time with friends and family that matter and worry less about the small stuff. I don't want to depend upon mere social media to keep in touch with friends. I want to see their faces, laugh with them, cry with them, hug them, tell them I love them, break bread together and share a glass of wine. 

What are your year-end rituals? I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Water Water Everywhere....

T'was the week before Christmas when all through the house not a creature was stirring...except for a half asleep crazed woman.

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I have a home that was built in 1949, and nearly everything in that house has either been updated or replaced except for the 50-gallon water heater. One fine Friday morning around 1:30 am, I was awoken by the sound of gushing water coming from the central part of the house. Upon first thought, I couldn't imagine why my washing machine would be on so late, and then realization hit me like a boot to the face. I stumbled into the kitchen where, low and behold, the water heater had failed and was rapidly emptying itself into my new, completely renovated kitchen that I spent six months supervising a cast of contractors. Now since it's an old house, the water heater was located in what is considered the original utility closet where a washing machine was originally housed back in the day and is now simply used for storage. Upon opening the utility door, a cascade of water came streaming down onto the floor and onto my wine collection. Of course, being the wine snob that I am, my first reaction was to save forty-plus bottles of wine. Needless to say, I was completely soaked by the time I got every bottle to a safe and dry location. 

Next up, I called the plumbers to see which one could get there the quickest. Mind you, I was on the phone at 1:45 am, so realistically, no one was coming anytime soon. This meant I had to take care of this emergency on my own, and there was no way I was letting my newly remodeled kitchen nor my hardwood floors get destroyed.

So I sprang into action. First, I crawled up into my attic and found the valve to shut off the continuous stream of water (every homeowner should know where the main water shut-off is for their house). Then I went into my backyard and fought to get the water hose off of the faucet. Mind you, it was very late at night, it was below freezing, and I was soaking wet. I'm thankful that my nearby neighbors didn't hear the stream of profanity coming from my mouth. I finally got the hose off and dragged one end of the hose and laid it across my very green perennial grass and wrestled the other end of the hose into the kitchen, and attached it to the release valve on the front of the water heater. The final step was to shut off the gas line feeding the water heater. Around 2:30 am, my plumber called and said it would take him an hour to get to my home and that plumbers do not carry spare water heaters on their trucks since they have no idea of size, structure, etc. So with two sleep-deprived persons on the phone, I asked Adam if there was anything else that I needed to do, and surprisingly I had done exactly what he would have done. I'm glad I saved myself a $250 emergency service fee, and I didn't have to call my insurance company either! 

Once I got the remaining water mopped up and took every bath towel from the three bathrooms, I was ready to return to my warm bed, but first, I had to change into dry pj's. As I lay there, I was so very thankful that I was actually home when it happened as I was able to not only save my wine, but I managed to save my kitchen tile and my hardwood floors and a lot of heartaches.

And I did replace my water heater with a new Moritz tankless water heater with an additional emergency sensor and water catch. So if you live in an older home, remember to turn the water source off either at the tank or at the house. Then be sure to drain the water heater into a place other than the floor of your home. My plumber commented that not a lot of people know what to do in this situation. As homeowners, we always think about what to do in an emergency situation such as a fire, but a flood can be just as devastating and destructive.

Here's to wishing you and your family a very Happy and Dry New Year!

Woman of the Year?→

Recently I was at my local garage getting my oil changed and to pass the time I flipped through the December issue of Glamour magazine. In the center of the magazine I found a multi-page story on who the magazine deemed as "Woman of the Year" for 2015. Of course the first woman that graced the pages of the magazine was actress Reese Witherspoon. And in the pages that followed women from the entertainment industry, athletes such as the US Women's Soccer Team, ballerinas and the like were highlighted. As I continued to flip through the pages to see who they had awarded as Woman of the Year I came across Caitlyn Jenner and stopped. Now I don't have any issues with Bruce deciding to transform into Caitlyn. That's his personal choice. But does she deserve to be classified as "Woman of the Year"? I mean really, she's been a woman all of year if that. Does she really know what it's like to be a woman? The physical and emotional process that we go through our entire lives to become a woman? I'm sorry but I don't think Caitlyn endured the trials and tribulations that we women contended with every single day. Hormonal changes. Dealing with the opposite sex. Finding our way. Giving birth and raising a family. Finding our voice. Sure she might be a "woman" now but to compare her to the other women on the list or to any other woman that didn't make the list is a farce. We as women have fought long and hard to earn a seat at the table of life and to simply declare one's self as a woman doesn't necessarily make it so. 

Little Yellow House Goes Social

We launched Little Yellow House Publishing in July and have been diligently working on our first book. Meanwhile as we have made significant progress on the book we decided it was time to create our social media presence on FaceBook as well as Twitter. We'll be using our blog site as well as the two social media channels to share information about our book(s) and we'll also share information about other female authors that we find interesting. So please be sure to follow us on twitter (#lyhpublishing) and like us on FaceBook (Little Yellow House Publishing).