valeriebosselman

[valeriebosselman]

New Dawns

There are moments in life we just need to hang on.  Other moments, and we have to rebuild… start over. Blogging has been an adventure for me.  To go from three followers (Mom, one sister, one friend) in 2010 to 40,000 was nothing short of remarkable.  That was about two decades ago, before ‘social influencer’ was a thing. A large part of my success is due to the director of the Dallas Cowboys…

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Love Letters for the Living

Before the COVID Monster forced us to hide in bed for about a year, with covers over our faces, I was teaching workshops in Texas on writing love letters. I was partnered with Bev Davidek of Davidek Law Firm that specializes in estate planning. I believe people should leave notes to be given out at the time of their passing. After a short teaching on why it’s important to give your family…

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Profoundly Influenced Me

“You have profoundly influenced me. I wanted to take time today to let you know you’ve enriched my life in big ways and small.”

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Keep the Photos Coming ...

ToPapa and Valerie – 1957 He was the grandfather that would jingle the coins in his pants pocket and on hot August nights would say, “Anyone for ice cream?” The trip to Zesto was always its own little adventure and may have been as much about showing off his granddaughters as buying the soft-serve vanilla cone full of relief from the heat. As an author, there will never be a more colorful man to…

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One Leg Up on the Understanding Disability

One Leg Up on the Understanding Disability

I need a much cooler reason for how I broke my leg on February 7, 2020. Tripping in my apartment in a carpeted area in between a cushy mattress and tufted ottoman is anything but heroic. On my first post surgery visit to my physical therapist, Shawn, I remained steely eyed when I told him I fell at senior citizen roller derby rumble. Without flinching, Shawn replied,

I know someone that was in…

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Pillow Talk

The Robe was pink instead of white.

My chubby little hands just couldn’t part with it…that luxurious pink fuzzy robe that Megan purchased at Victoria’s Secret for Mother’s Day well over a decade ago. Made from chenille, just like the bedspreads of most grandmothers, it embodied the word ‘cozy.’ Over the years it has become a relic: worn, tattered and old.

It’s no secret that my daughter and I had…

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The Birthday Wish

Maybe it’s the creative thinker in me, but I’ve long been a fan of the magical world of wishes and Genies in a bottle. We lived in New Orleans in the early 1960’s, and one Saturday afternoon I saw the classic movie about Aladdin’s Lamp, a life-changing moment that made me believe in the possibility of flying carpets and a world that granted you three wishes.

So certain of the notion, every…

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Someone is always there...

Someone is always there…

In retrospect, it was the surprise dress-rehearsal before my daughter Megan’s 2004 cancer diagnosis.

The stage was San Antonio and the leading actors were my children Megan and Ryan. We were visiting Texas for my cousin’s mid-summer night’s dreamy wedding, followed by a day of party time at Fiesta, Texas and Sea World. The award-winning Rattler was headlining that year, a wooden roller-coaster…

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Widowers, Dads and Dating

Widowers, Dads and Dating

Dad was an ambitious young architecture student with an unwavering focus on a lifetime of success. His strong work ethic combined with his raw good looks put him in high demand with the Sigma Kappa sorority sisters. As he approached the completion of his degree at University of Nebraska, Charlie’s fraternity pin went to the leggy and lovely Beverly, a woman who was starry-eyed for my father from…

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Finding Holiday Life after The Death of a Child

Finding Holiday Life after The Death of a Child

My daughter was a lover of all things Christmas. During her many hospital stays, Megan was so grateful for all the flowers and cards, but I will admit Doretta’s whimsical tree with its battery operated lights made my girl’s heart sing. Christmas crazy is in our bloodline, and it all traces back to our Nana who was devoted to making holiday ceramics twelve months a year.

Her crafting didn’t end…

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You Can't Stop Aging...

You Can’t Stop Aging…

The day the employee at Goodwill carded me under the suspicion of using a fraudulent Senior Citizen discount card was one of the happiest days of my life. There I stood at age 61 before an outraged 20-year-old who believed I was trying to pull a fast one and use a card that affords those 55 and over an additional 10% savings (.34 cents) on a $3.49 shirt. Those wily Baby Boomers!

A flash of my…

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Happy 37th Birthday, Megan Bosselman

Megan Bosselman – January 27, 2008 Dear Megan, I remember you as brave as you faced each of the 1344 days that spanned between cancer diagnosis and death. You loved John Wayne’s saying, “Courage is being scared to death – but saddling up anyway.” Saddle up, you did, ten years ago as you sat in a booth at Charleston’s on your 27th birthday calmly talking to your mom about everything from Advance…

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When The Rubber Meets The Road

When The Rubber Meets The Road

Matt Jackson – Owner of M.E.A.T. – Make Everyday A Transformation A year into my training relationship with my nutrition and life coach Matt Jackson, I made a spontaneous decision to give Orangetheory a try, an intense cardio studio that had just opened up in Omaha. I’m not sure why I thought I could fly below the radar without mentioning it to Jackson. The Boss is the one who has turned around…

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Pottery Barn Seniors

I got a gift card last week to the Pottery Barn/Williams Sonoma chain.  It took about two seconds to start burning a hole in my pocket, and after spending a couple of hours browsing their websites I decided that my dull and neutral bedding needed a facelift. Those that know the old me remember that purple was my color of choice in home decorating.  We purchased our dream property two decades ago…

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Saving the Best for Last

The crowd roars in my imagination.  Secretly I am an American Gladiator with a cool name like Lace or Zap.  My athletic potential is boundless as I scale The Wall and crush my opponent in The Eliminator.  Then I wake up and remember that in the world of sports my name is “Last”.  Last pick for any sports team.  Last place in the Creighton 2K row. When my physician moved me to first in line for…

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Rant Mom vs. Rant Chic

Rant Mom vs. Rant Chic

Fire away with your political opinions on Facebook.  These days my 59 year-old grannie panties are in a twist over Kallie Provencher’s post on Rantchic.com entitled “24 Things Women Should Stop Wearing After Age 30” Right out of the gate, I was fired up at #24 Graphic Tees because I didn’t get to wear them under the age of 30. The only available eye shadow color options in 1960’s – Yardly of…

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A Few Good Men at Dynamic Fitness

Matt Jackson – Owner M.E.A.T. “The Boss” Who knew you can add “New Eating Habits” to your Life Events on Facebook?   I was unaware of that option last year when I signed up for nutrition and life coaching with M.E.A.T. owner Matt Jackson, the man I now affectionately call “The Boss“.  Even if I had known about the possibility, the Facebook pull down menu only offers choices ranging from…