Behind these shades you will find an avid people watcher and, sometimes, listener. (By the way, I hijacked the shades from my friend, Theresa. Shhh, don’t tell her. She’ll get a ransom note soon demanding a large bag of M&M’s in exchange for their safe return.)

When I want to jumpstart a character that seems stuck, I listen for inspiration. I head out into the city and instead of tuning in to my iPod, I tune into everything and everyone around me.  I’m not eavesdropping on conversations because I’m not stopping and lingering to listen to people. I simply snatch the few words left dangling in the air by those in mid-conversation as I stroll past. Armed with those words, I begin to play. 

For awhile, I turn the words over in my mind. Sometimes a character will grab hold and spin them into part of a story and other times I just play with what I’ve heard in an effort to entertain myself.

Yesterday, I was in play mode. As I walked past a tall man, his arms folded over his chest, talking with a shorter man who wore an incredibly long mustache, I overheard the tall man say: 

“I’m not sure where he went. We just got back but I bet he’s off looking for hot sp…..”

That’s all I heard; I didn’t even get the last word.

Now, I play.  I imagine what the end of that conversation might have sounded like. I picture the tall man saying:

“I bet he’s off looking for hot, spicy tamales again. I swear he believes everything he hears on TV. Some chain restaurant has a new dish and that’s it, he has to have one. Doesn’t matter what we have planned he just takes off. You know last week, he left at 5am. 5am! Do you know where he went?? Do you? Dunkin’ Donuts to get the fresh, new donut before anyone else. I’ve had it with his food obsession!”

That’s only one way it would go. How do you think the conversation ended? Come on, your turn. You finish it!

Or tell me, what’s the funniest, strangest, silliest thing you’ve recently overheard?
 

I just opened a box of Crayola Crayons. You know, that huge 96 crayon box with the sharpener? I love cracking it open and inhaling the crayon aroma. It’s like delicious colors and childhood all wrapped into one. Those crayons got me thinking about smells. Here are some that I love:

-my daughter’s hair after a bath
-fresh strawberries
-Christmas trees
-newly cut grass
-the smell of the Earth after a summer rain
-roasted peanuts
-root beer lipstick (When I was a kid, I had these little lipsticks that smelled of various
 flavors – cotton candy, bubble gum and root beer. Did you have those??)
-the smell of your skin after a day at the beach
-mango scented candles
-Orchard Blossom Lady Speed Stick Invisible Dry deodorant (what? Too much information?)
-a bakery – but I’m not really a fan of the smell of fresh bread. Instead, I LOVE the smell
 of cookies and cakes and cupcakes, oh my!
-laundry that’s been hanging in the sun all day
-newborn babies
-pizza at the end of a drinking evening
-garlic knots (I can’t help myself)
-Moonlight Path shower gel from Bath & Body Works
-the crisp, clean air after a snowfall
-a crackling fire on a winter afternoon
-a cup of hot cocoa

It’s amazing that I can tie a memory to each one of these smells. I could use these aromas and memories as a springboard for creating a new story. Try it. What smells do you love? Write down the first things that come to mind. Then look at your list. Does each smell have a story? Use it as inspiration to take that new photo, write that story, paint that picture or any other creative endeavor.

So tell me, what smells do you love? 

Photo by Natasha Reilly

We rarely do things on our own. There are always people helping us. Whether they are a resource, an assistant, a teacher, a supporter, or a silent protector, people depend upon one another and give to one another in many ways.  For that, we should be thankful and when given the chance, despite differences of religion and politics, sports teams or food tastes, we should send a note of thanks to those souls.

There are many days on the calendar that provide us with the opportunity to thank those we love, like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. Memorial Day is a day to remember to say thank you to all the men and women who have put their lives on the line so that we can enjoy freedom. Today is a good day to give thanks to those who have fought throughout history to uphold the beliefs this country was founded upon and, sometimes, sacrificed all; the men and women who are prisoners of war and those missing in action; the soldiers who are not with their loved ones today because they have dedicated themselves to serving this nation. To all of them, I say thank you.

To those in the medical field who do everything they can to save the lives of wounded soldiers and to those who work tirelessly to rehabilitate them both physically and mentally, I say thanks. To the families who have lost family members to wars, I say thank you for sharing your loved ones with us all. Thank you to the people who take their pain, turn it into hope and shine it upon others in the hopes of helping to illuminate a better way of living, a better world.

Send your thank you out into the world in the form of love and believe that it will be felt. Like the flowers I stumbled across in this picture prove, just a little nourishment, encouragement, care and thanks given in a tough environment can produce positive things, like flowers that look like hearts = love.

How will you commemorate this Memorial Day?
 

I wish I had been able to capture the beauty my daughter and I were witnessing when I took this picture. For the last few days, NYC has been experiencing nothing but rain however, yesterday the rain and sun played tag. The sun would make an appearance for an hour or so and then disappear as the rain surfaced; they chased one another all afternoon.

So, finally when it seemed that the rain had given up and moved on, I took my daughter for a walk and we stumbled across a brilliant rainbow. It formed the most perfect arch above the bridge in this photo. Rainbows and butterflies remind me of a very special person, my cousin David, who passed away a few years ago. They fill me with peace and happiness. This rainbow that you cannot see brought a smile to my daughter’s face; it was the first time she’d ever seen one.

What fascinates me about this picture is that I was unable to harness the splendor of this moment. Perhaps there are things, moments, people who bring us a type of beauty we can never fully share or replicate. The magnificence we experience in any given moment may be a unique gift meant solely for us; a moment that we can call to mind at a moments notice and quietly relive. 

Can you think of a beautiful moment that you have no physical record of? One you can only ever try to describe? A moment you will never forget? If so, can you share it?

When I begin to develop characters for a story, I start by creating a picture of their lives. One of the things I think about as I move through this process is what type of career they might have; I look for something to match their personality. Despite the fact that I enjoy what I do, this train of thought always causes me to imagine what I might do if my life were different.

So, if I were to step into an alternate reality, I would like to be:

-an Irish step dance instructor for primates (this includes everything from spider monkeys and gorillas to the chimps featured above. By the way, when my daughter sees this video she giggles and dances around endlessly!)

-piloting a tug boat (I love those tough, little boats pulling HUGE piles of crap!)

-a designer of truly fabulous, world famous clogs

-a backup singer doing all those “hand-roll, shake your booty” moves

-a wildlife adventurer/conservationist like Steve Irwin (including the Aussie accent)

-a water sport storeowner in Hawaii

-a lifeguard at the pool on a cruise ship

-coordinator of lights and music for the water fountain show at the Bellagio in Las Vegas

-captain of a whale watching boat (Pacific or Atlantic Ocean)

-a Foley Artist (I’ve always wanted to be responsible for the crunching sound made when someone walks across the snow in a movie)

If you weren’t doing what you are doing right now, what would you want to do?

The Nacho playground has a whole new look. The banner drawing was taken from a card I created; it’s been revised for this site.

As I was putting it into place, it felt as though I was giving myself a little present. That feeling got me thinking about cheerleading again. We’ve talked about assembling a cheerleading team of positive people with constructive criticism and removing the Debbie/Donald Downers from your life but what about being your own cheerleader? What does that mean?

There have been times when my enthusiasm or dislike for a project hung on another’s enthusiasm or dislike for my project. If their level of excitement exceeded my own about a particular idea, I would think to myself, “Hmm, maybe you should pursue it.” Later, if their excitement was not at the same level, I would take it as a sign that they no longer thought it was good or they were no longer interested and shelve my plan. Is that crazy or what? I based everything I was doing on the opinions of those I loved. While I valued the advice given by my cheerleading team, I realized that I needed to trust my creative instincts or I would never be able to find and live my passion.

Everything I’ve read says that you need to be an inspiration to yourself first and that is 100% true. If you let your life revolve around what other people like or dislike, you’ll not only go insane but you’ll miss out on that feeling, the one were you feel like you swallowed a million stars, when you are doing something you love.

Remember when you colored tree trunks purple and made the leaves pink? Remember when you made mud pies and served them to friends? Remember when you danced in puddles and sang off key while twirling your umbrella? Remember when you flipped things over and banged on them pretending that they were bongos? Remember when you pretended that you couldn’t step on the floor because it was covered with alligators? Remember when you finger painted …with your toes??? I do!

I did those things because they not only felt good but they were the perfect expression of what I was thinking and feeling. When you are creating something and you feel all lit up inside and lose hours to it, thank the Universe because you’ve found your passion. Regardless of what other’s think, you need to travel that road and put everything you’ve got into that project. Inspiration is contagious. When you are your own biggest cheerleader, when you are an inspiration to yourself, you have no idea who else you might motivate. 

For a long while, I focused so hard on one area of writing; I didn’t leave room for anything else. I love writing and drawing. The two things together bring peace, happiness and fun to my life. More importantly, when I create something with color and words and then share it, well, I feel like a flower blooming.

So, I’ve started to share here. The new “About” section on this site is a little window into my warped mind. The banner drawing represents what is to come.  I hope you enjoy!
 

My family recently celebrated my brother’s birthday. As we brought out the cake lit with candles and began singing, “Happy Birthday”, I could not help but watch my daughter who was intently focusing on her Uncle. Her eyes were filled with excitement while her face registered a look that said, “Right, I’m beginning to know this process. We all sing and clap and have fun.” However, the concept that she does not yet get is the one where you make a wish and blow out the candles. I began to wonder, when will she begin wishing for things and when she does, what might she wish for, world peace, ice cream, a new Dora doll, all of the above?

I’ve always loved watching people make a wish before they blow out their candles. You can tell the uncomfortable folks who just want everyone to stop staring at them because they don’t stop to make the wish; they just blow out the candles. Then there are those who ponder their wish, close their eyes and blow, believing that a little birthday magic will make it come true. Each and every time I celebrate someone’s birthday, I can’t help but wonder what they wished for.

Many of my birthday wishes have come true with the exception of one. The year I wished for the Holly Hobby Easy Bake Oven and the Snoopy Sno Cone machine. I practically visualized both in my room and all the cakes and ices I would make. However, I never got either of those toys. Huh, wonder if that has anything to do with my lack of interest in cooking? I’m just going to say it does and blame my parents like a good shrink would tell me to. The best wish I ever made was for my daughter. I didn’t verbalize that at the time. I may not have even had the right words in mind when I made that wish but I can tell you right now, it came true.

What about you? Do you make wishes before you blow out the candles? Is there one wish that still haunts you? Is there one fabulous wish that came true for you?
 

The other night I was at an open bar event. One of my favorite things to do at an event like that is listen to the names of the drinks folks order because people are more apt to be daring and get something they normally wouldn’t when they are not the ones picking up the tab. Fuzzy Navel, Sex on the Beach, a Dirty Girl Scout, the list went on. I started thinking, if I was a drink what type would I be and what would I be called?

Tashi Moxie would be my name and I would be similar to a mudslide, only better. Tashi Moxie would make you want to cartwheel around the bar.

What would you be?
 

 Photo by Brian Moynihan

Sometimes, right in the middle of a project, we suddenly feel stuck. Our excitement and endless energy seem to have dissipated. Our ideas stop flowing and we wonder what to do next. Well, the best thing to do in that situation is take a mentalacation (Webster,  I’ve got a new one for you! Mentalacation will be defined as a mental vacation for the creatively stressed out).

Think back to one of your favorite times in life. Close your eyes and pull up a mental picture of that place. Let yourself sink into the moment. Try to grab hold of the smells, sounds and feelings in that happy place. Stay there as long as you like and then when you open your eyes try to bring that calm, that happy energy to your work.

Right now, I’d like to be in Acadia National Park in Maine standing with my husband at this lake we found while hiking; it felt as though we’d discovered the lake hidden among the trees. The water was like glass; a perfect reflection of the sky. There was silence and beauty and a moose that followed us as we hiked down. It was like life – stumbling along a path with little direction in awe of the beauty, frightened and exhilarated at the sight of this enormous moose and sad when it all came to an end. In that moment by the lake, in the quiet stillness, there was peace.

Where is your happy place?
 

Recently, I attended a seminar where the instructor invited everyone to “introduce” themselves. I anticipated having to share what I do and where I’m from and then, either answer some ridiculous icebreaker question or participate in some crazy icebreaker exercise. As predicted, the question arrived but what I hadn’t expected was that the question would illicit responses, such as spork and the clapper, as well as reasons for those responses that would cause eruptions of laughter.

Now, I’d like to ask you. What do you wish you could “un-invent”? What is the one thing you wish had never been invented?

For me, it’s pantyhose. Putting on a pair of pantyhose is what I imagine it might be like to partake in professional wrestling.