A Beginner’s Mind
BY JEAN MARIE JOHNSON It was the ‘90s. I had a new job, a “new” husband, a “new” 1870s house. Well, other than the job, nothing was exactly new, but all new to me. I threw myself into those fresh experiences with a sense of happy exhilaration and a no-time- to-lose mindset. The job was […]
Writers Who Read: Encouragement and Guidance for 2021
BY MEGAN TAYLOR The clock strikes midnight, resolutions are made and salutations are said for the new year. The first day of the next 365 always brings about a sense of hope, newness, and a yearning to do better than you did last year. Yet, sometimes we need a push in the right direction for […]
Underemployed? How to Strategically Build Skills In a Time of Uncertainty
BY JEN OLENICZAK BROWN We’ve all heard of unemployment, especially during 2020. That word seems to pervade every single conversation about work, careers, and the economy these days. What about underemployment? Underemployment can look two different ways: it could be working part-time when desiring (and searching for) full-time work, or it could be having a […]
Slow Fashion: Investing in Quality Fibers
BY LISA S.T. DOSS The evidence is in the fiber! How many articles of clothing are not faring well after one year? Do you notice the remnants after removing a load of laundry from the dryer? Most likely, the two indications point to a petroleum-based, synthetic polyester! As a plastic, it’s not biodegradable nor does […]
Winston-Salem: A “Just Right” Retirement
BY JEAN MARIE JOHNSON When it comes to the question of retirement, almost everyone has a Goldilocks story. Here’s mine: Arizona? Too hot and remote Florida? Too humid and crowded Costa Rica, maybe? Too unknown. Period. Winston-Salem, North Carolina? Just right. Okay, okay, I know that natives often retire in place, right here in the […]
Gardening All Year Long
BY LISA S.T. DOSS The love of plants, whether they are flowers, herbs, fruits or vegetables, can thrive in your care whether they begin as seeds germinating in trays or are ready to transition to the earth. With a handful of practical tips, an eagerness to watch seedlings evolve, you can ease your purse and […]
What “Home” Taught Me
BY JEAN MARIE JOHNSON Amidst all of the hunkering down at home, I found myself following a thread of thought that ultimately led me to every configuration of four walls that I called “home.” It’s funny what I remember. Well, not “ha-ha” funny, but curious and revealing, giving truth to the saying, “wherever you go, there […]
Dear June: The Power of Design with Lighting
“I have a bad case of the winter decorating blues,” said one of our design customers. The way everything looked at Christmas was amazing, but now that I have taken down all the decorations, the room feels so drab, and I find this is the perfect time to think about changes. Lighting will be the […]
Conversation with Your BFF: Besides the Entire Year of 2020, What Should I Leave Behind in 2021?
BY REBECCA COOPER I think we all can agree that kicking 2020 to the curb and chalking it up as a bad relationship is a good idea. You know the kind of relationship I mean; the ones that teach you a lesson but are definitely not a blessing. But as 2021 peers around the corner, […]
Taking a Break: What happens when you need to take time away from your career?
BY JEN OLENICZAK BROWN Whether you choose to or it’s forced upon you, you might need to take time away from your career. Regardless of the reason, navigating the reentry can be stressful and worry-inducing, especially when you’re letting anxiety take over. I remember talking to a friend of mine who had stayed at home […]
