ninecentgirl

[ninecentgirl]

January is for Self-care

No matter where you live in this vast country, the past week has been a tough one. From deadly wildfires in California to deadly arctic conditions up and down the East Coast, to crazy in a little town called Washington, all of which has left us feeling an array of unfathomable devastation and crippling dread. Searching my previous posts reveal many such moments when tragedy spoke loudly and…

[ninecentgirl]

A La-La Land Love Story

Most everyone can recall the moment they landed in the City of Angels, at least this is true of those of us born elsewhere. I arrived in the mid-1970’s with my head filled with all the dreams one might imagine a recent high school graduate to hold, expecting the whole world to dance along side of me. Living high above the bustle of Hollywood Boulevard, I stood on my balcony envisioning an upward…

[ninecentgirl]

Close to the Edge

On Christmas Eve my daughter and I hiked through Temescal Canyon Park in the Pacific Palisades during what started as a rainy and misty afternoon. The landscape was dusty and dry but uplifting and breathtaking. We walked mostly in silence, taking in the bird song and rustling wind. Being in her familiar terrain, she led and I followed. One can easily feel the history in this labyrinth of old…

[ninecentgirl]

Winter Obsessions

Most of my December was spent making our first west coast Christmas perfect. I sent out close to a 100 holiday cards with cheery notes which I wrote while listening to nothing but Christmas music. Santa’s were on display all over our new home, lights were strung and lit. We fully engaged ourselves in all the festivities, shopping and cooking and baking, while wearing silly hats. As you might have…

[ninecentgirl]

A Retrospective

In a heartbeat 2024 will come to a full stop and we’ll run straight into 2025 but before that weighty ball drops I’d like to reflect on the last very full 12 months. Towards that end, I selected 4 standouts posts of the 50 I wrote, each a fan favorite, highlighting some significance of my year. How about it, want to journey back with me? Oh, lets! Continue reading A Retrospective

[ninecentgirl]

(via Light Up the Dark)

[ninecentgirl]

Light Up the Dark

Is there anything more wonderful than our collective efforts to deck the halls with shimmering lights during the shortest days of the year? Come December, artificial brightness runs along eaves and doorways, up and around trees, and in between every dark corner of our neighborhoods with gusto. To our delight our new SoCal town has brought the Simply Sensational along every street. What better…

[ninecentgirl]

(via From the Ashes)

[ninecentgirl]

From the Ashes

From the ashes indeed, and in record time. What a magnificent achievement is the rebuilding of Notre Dame thanks to “about 250 companies and 2,000 workers and artisans from all over France who knew the world was watching, and drove them to give their all for the project of a lifetime” (NYTimes). If you have been lucky, you have walked into that nearly thousand year old building, and have stood in…

[ninecentgirl]

(via December Joy)

[ninecentgirl]

December Joy

I must admit, November was tough. Waking up to the harsh realities about our American political scene and the billionaire bros set to control our immediate future sent me right back to bed. When you add the atrocities raging around the globe I found myself both angry and sad, even dumbfounded, with gratitude out of reach. But as December rolled into being, I smoothed away my distemper and distain…

[ninecentgirl]

Opinion is the front man for misinformation

If you read my last post you are aware that for well over a decade I have written weekly. When I started I was so excited to share my little opinions with the world. I wanted people to feel good about where ever they were in life, to dress with their own flair, to care for themselves through movement, to find small joys, but writing was also an avenue to explore my own ideas. When I started Nine…

[ninecentgirl]

and now she's 14!

Happy 10th Anniversary to Nine Cent Girl!

[ninecentgirl]

meters equal hope

Looking for a reason to set your alarm for a pre-work workout, lace up those dusty sneakers, and hit your favorite running route? Look no further, because an extraordinary young woman, Olympic athlete, mother, wife, small business owner and former student of mine, @emdreiss, has organized a November Challenge guaranteed to get you exercising with purpose, just when getting out of bed might be a…

[ninecentgirl]

(via Dia de los Muertos and a disappointing Election)

[ninecentgirl]

Dia de los Muertos and a disappointing Election

Oh my, this week… it was absolutely a lot. Dutifully, even joyously, we built our Dia de los Muertos altar to honor our dead, hoping to coax them back for a night or two. In the past we created elaborate shrines, but this year, with many of our photos and mementos still in boxes, we created a simple display, using all the affection we feel when recalling our time with each of them. The quirky…

[ninecentgirl]

(via Red, White, and Blue for All)