Confession is Good For the Soul. Right?

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Karyn Good

So…I took a slight hiatus from blogging. It was unintentional. And unplanned. But I’m back. And what better way to come back than with a couple of confessions.

First. Hello, my name is Karyn Good and apparently, and against my will, I’ve become a Kirsten Ashley addict. That’s not to say there aren’t things that piss me off about her heroes. And her heroines. But when they talk storytelling versus craft? When they talk about voice? This is what they’re talking about. Her writing is like crack. I kid you not. Also, it’s in first person, which I don’t enjoy. Unless it’s KA. The Rock Chick series. Or the Colorado Mountain Man series. Take your pick. They’re both great. I’ve read a couple of her books twice. TWICE. I don’t know why. Okay, I do. Her characters are very real in a surreal-because-this-is-romantic-fantasy-and-not-real-life-like, at all, kind of way. These books are total escapism and pure entertainment. And hot. Sizzling, in fact. Those three things together make these my favorite kind of book.

Second. And, even more mystifying, I’m also a ~~Charlie Hunnam~~ Sons of Anarchy ~~fanatic~~ fan. I mean, seriously, what could be appealing about outlaw bikers? They are violent, play by their own rules, and are patriarchal gun runners. What saves this show from ho-humness or being a gorefest? Characters like Katey Sagal. She is the Queen. She’s sexy but not an object. She’s in her fifties. And you do not mess with her. I want to be her. (That’s a confession for another time.) There are actually some other pretty complicated female characters in these series. Which I like. Then there’s the biker subculture, not to mention the outlaw aspect. And there be bikers. I’m a writer, a stay-at-home mother and a suburbanite. This whole idea fascinates me. How do you make outlaw bikers who run guns likeable or acceptable? You pit them against people who are worse, like neo-Nazis. This series is not for everyone. But it might be for you.

Third. This one’s even more insane and has to relationship to the other two. My new driver. As in golf club. I know. Crazy. But, oh my gosh, I can now drive the ball 180 yards. In the air. I love this club. More than Kirsten Ashley and ~~Charlie Hunnam~~ Sons of Anarchy. Obviously, it has magical powers. Because I’m actually finding myself saying the words, “Hey, we should go golfing.” And forget food, this is the real way to my husband’s heart. So, it’s all good.

There. Confession time over. Go ahead give it a try? Read any addicting books this summer? Watched any great new-to-you shows? Have any golf tips to share? Feel free!

What Women Want

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Karyn Good

I found a flyer in the mailbox yesterday advertising this weekend’s What Women Want Expo. Kind of like a trade show with booths showcasing different products and services. I didn’t see anything extraordinary that would tempt me to spend the money for a ticket, but it did get me thinking.

What do woman want? I’m sure the gambit of answers is as varied as there are women on this planet. Maybe even beyond. We all wish the universal hopes of peace, health and happiness, for ourselves and our sisters, indeed everyone! We want to do good in the world, raise our children to be responsible, caring adults, and all other host of noble wants. Find a partner for example.

Just what do women want in a relationship? According to Harlequin’s 2012 Romance Report we want a sense of humor, a killer smile, and an accent. That’s right, we want Hugh Jackman! I can’t disagree.

Deal breakers in relationships? Too needy, too dependent of cellphone, too many FB photos with ex, and my personal favorite – the grammatically challenged.

But the most shocking thing? The top resource for romance advice is Cosmo.

Really?

The others were equally scary. You’ll have to check those out on your own.

But what about the little things that make each of us unique? What do we want that’s fun and inspiring and makes us smile. I love hats. The bigger, the floppier the better. I envy the Queen her hat maker. You might not.

Here are five other off the top of my head things I want:

I would like to have a pajama party in the library. We could call it Sleeping Among the Stacks. There’d be snacks.
I want to remember words like PIQUE, JUKEBOX, ULU, and ZU and finally win a Scrabble game.
I want a really, really great women’s magazine without a singular focus like fashion or food or Oprah.
I want to find a kickass recipe for gluten-free pizza crust.
I would love to take a cooking class with my girlfriends.

Not so complicated but they’d make me smile. How about you? What do you want?

Tuesday’s Table: The Scent of Cinnamon

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Karyn Good

Cinnamon Toast was a treat my Mom would make on those extra-cold winter nights. Chances are the smell of buttered toast sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon found me either hiding with a book or hunkered down in front of the television. Time to put down Anne of Green Gables or taken a break from watching Little House on the Prairie and go to the kitchen to investigate. There’s also a chance Mom might have found me studying Charlie’s Angels instead of math.

I bet everyone has a cinnamon story of their own. These days I enjoy it swirled on top of my Chai Tea Lattes. It’s amazing what a barrista can do with foam and cinnamon. But it’s the scent that takes me back to the cozy feeling of being safe and warm.

My mind is on those kinds of details these days. I’m putting the final touches on my work-in-progress. This next pass through is about adding those little details, channeling the five senses, imagining a specific experience and describing it on paper.

A little like cinnamon toast, it’s about mixing the exotic with the everyday.

FYI: That’s not all cinnamon has going for it. It’s also good for your health and useful in lowering blood sugar levels and increasing alertness. There are a bunch of other benefits but I’ll leave that for you to explore.

But just in case you’re interested here are some yummy ways to consume cinnamon. Besides the most delicious of way of all which is a cinnamon bun smeared with cream cheese icing. Because you don’t even want to know how many calories are in one of those bad boys. Or perhaps this is one of those cases where denial isn’t a good thing. You may enjoy rolling up the rim to win at Tim Horton’s but adding a glazed cinnamon roll will cost you 340 calories. Yikes.

Instead add a tablespoon to your pancake batter.
Stir 1/2 teaspoon into plain yogurt. Add the same amount of maple syrup.
Sprinkle over sweet potatoes or carrots. Add to thick curry flavored soups.
Add to chicken stews, grilled chicken or pork.
Coat 2 cups of raw nuts with a mix of 1/4 cup honey and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and roast at 350F for 15 minutes.
Use a couple of shakes in your favorite smoothie.

Go ahead, eat tree bark.

Remember Big Red Gum? Enjoy Hot Tamales? What’s your favorite cinnamon flavored treat?

Some of My Favorite Things

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Karyn Good

If Oprah can do it so can I! Here are some of my favorite things to give and to receive.

A Christmas Centerpiece!

Like this one from Wascana Flower Shoppe. It’s a great present for the couple on your list who has everything but you still want to show how much you appreciate and care about them. If you’re crafty and creative you can even put one together yourself. Now they’ll have a beautiful arrangement for their table. It also had the added bonus of being disposable. All they have to do is toss it when it’s done!

Kiehl’s Supremely Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

This is an extravagance at $24 a bottle but I makes my list every year. I love it and I have to thank my sister because it was her gift to me one Christmas. I’ve used it ever since. If you have anyone on your list who wears eye make this is the gift for them. And something they might not buy for themselves because of the price. You don’t need to use a lot to get the job done. It lasts for a decent amount of time, especially if you don’t use eye makeup everyday like me.

A basket of breads from our local bakery, The Orange Boot. Again, has the added bonus of being useful and disposable. And SO yummy and delicious! And, of course, you could make the bread yourself and gift it. If, you know, you have a talent for that kind of thing, which I don’t. These Cranberry Walnut Braids are absolutely the best.

BIC Z4+ Rollerball Pens. You might be a Nerd Girl if you love these pens. These are my favorite pens of all time. Whether it’s writing lists or scenes for a novel, these pens make writing fun. I kid you not. It’s true. And they make a great stocking stuffer!

And of course, books. But I figure that does without saying. We have a traditional in our house of giving everyone pajamas and a book (or magazine) on Christmas Eve night. We started this when our kids were little to help them get to sleep after too much food and treats and to combat the impending excitement of Christmas morning. Picking those books out is still one of my favorite things!

Although I did have a request today. From my university aged son. Who said, and I quote, “Mom, all I need is cash for Christmas.”

Easy enough.

What are some of your favorite things to give and receive?

A Little Wine and Cheese

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Karyn Good

I love cheesy movies. I don’t need to tell you that wine goes good with cheese. Everyone’s already aware. But if you’re looking for a recommendation try Wonderwall, a lovely Shiraz out of Australia. Delightful. Now, onto the cheese. I could also add an addendum here about falling for Alan Rickman. Because my pick for best cheesiest feel good movie ever is Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. With Kevin Costner. I never got tired of watching it. There’s something about prowess with a bow and arrows that is very appealing.

Maybe I have tree house envy. For an exiled group of outlaws, they built an incredible fortress in Sherwood Forest without access to anything. Like a Home Depot. Or Lowe’s. Or nails. And they way they got the blacksmithy up and going and manufactured all those swords was nothing short of a miracle.

And then there’s my love for Alan Rickman. See how I tied that all in together? And also because Robin Hood is one of my favorite stories. I also loved the recent Russell Crowe version. But that’s another blog post. Which I wrote but can’t find.

Let’s start with the Sheriff of Nottingham, should we?

“That’s it then. Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas.”

Yep, he’s a badass. In the best, cheesiest way possible.

We won’t get into Kevin Costner’s sometimes-it’s-there-and-sometimes-it’s-not accent. He’s still adorable as Robin Hood.

I’ve seen knights in armor panic at the first hint of battle. And I’ve seen the lowliest, unarmed squire pull a spear from his own body, to defend a dying horse. Nobility is not a birthright. It’s defined by one’s actions.

I swoon in the face of such clarity of thought. For a member of the aristocracy he’s quite liberal in his thinking. I guess fighting with King Richard all those many years and then escaping as a prisoner of war gives one perspective.

And let’s not forget his I would die for you line. More sighing ensues.

Then there’s Morgan Freeman. Whom I love. Because he’s Morgan Freeman. And he has that excellent voice. He could be reading instructions from a shampoo bottle and I’d still listen.

A wise man once said: “There are no perfect men in the world; only perfect intentions.”

I mean, come on!

Are you with me? Or do you have your own pick for best, cheesiest movie ever?

Are We Happy Yet?

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Karyn Good

Camping makes me happy!

Our September book club pick was a departure from the norm for us. We read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, Or, Why I spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. Her words, not mine. We usually read fiction. I can’t say as I’m a fan of self-help books or non-fiction, but it was interesting to delve into the idea of being purposefully happy.

I mean, hey, who doesn’t want to be happy? Or happier, as the case may be. I didn’t finish it (which means I pay a $10 fine to the pot), but it was an awful lot of information to take in. It was a twelve month project for the author and each month she created a list of resolutions she wanted to work on. Daunting. Yes. Yet, it did raise some interesting questions. And I learned happiness according to Gretchen Rubin takes a lot of work. I’ll enjoy finishing this book, I found Rubin’s voice and style to be appealing and very easy to relate to.

“Happiness depends upon ourselves.” Aristotle

This I know to be fact. However, sometimes it takes me a couple of think-throughs to realize I’m unhappy because of my own state of mind. It’s so easy and simple to set the blame elsewhere. On the state of the economy. Or the price of peas. But really, I’ve got to look at what’s happening with me to figure out why I might be ‘off’. You know, a little on the sour side.

“Act the way I want to feel.” One of Rubin’s Twelve Commandments

I actually found this advice to be helpful. If you want to be happy, act happy. And it makes sense, right? Smile more. What’s that saying? It’s the second best thing you can do with your lips. Be happy for someone else. Laugh. Watch The Big Bang Theory. That always works for me. Work at at.

Howard: Are you planning on kidnapping a woman?
Sheldon: Sarcasm?
Howard: Yes, but mixed with genuine concern.

I mean, come on, how can you not find that hysterical?

“There is no duty we underrate so much as the duty of being happy.” Robert Louis Stevenson

Five Little Things That Make Me Happy! Because it doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to be mindful.

Pretty flowers.
Fresh peaches.
Sitting around a backyard fire.
Autumn leaves.
Cuddled in a fuzzy blanket.

“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.” James Openheim

Oh, one more thing.

6. Chocolate Flavored Vodka. (As with all good things:best used in moderation.)

How about you? What five little things make you happy?

What Scent Attracts You?

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Karyn Good

I love perfume. You’d think I’d have a particular scent that I wear. But at the moment I’m scent free. In fact, I haven’t worn perfume for some time. Unless Pledge counts, or Pine-Sol. I didn’t worry about spritzing on perfume to do arts and crafts or car pool. Also, there were so many scent free places that it hardly seemed worth it. But, gosh, I’m finding that I miss the sense of comfort and beauty that comes from dabbing on your favorite perfume. Maybe because I shy away from any other kind of scented product, I miss having a much loved perfume. Or two.

In my twenties Opium was one of my favorites.

A legendary fragrance for the woman who adores Yves Saint Laurent. An oriental and spicy harmony. Sheer sensuality, a voluptuous, provocative and controversial fragrance with notes of Mandarin, Jasmine, Lily of the Valley and Vanilla.

The other was Cinnabar.

Cinnabar Perfume by Estee Lauder, Launched by the design house of estee lauder in 1978, cinnabar is classified as a refined, subtle, oriental fragrance. This feminine scent possesses a blend of incense, flowers, spice and amber. It is recommended for evening wear.

Then I had children and I don’t know…things changed. Something about that time in my life changed what scents I was attracted to and suddenly my favorites didn’t have the desired effect. Hum. Maybe my hormone levels altered my skin’s chemistry. I don’t know. Now, years later, I’m back in the market for perfume.

Choosing a perfume might seem like a daunting decision given the range of choices. But this is one choice that’s completely visceral. While so many of our choices are governed by reason, it’s refreshing to have to make a choice that is purely emotional. Governed by nothing more than, “I don’t know why, but I love it!”

Perfumes have ‘families’. You can start by deciding what family attracts you. Maybe you’re target family has more of a Florals personality – feminine and fun-loving. Could be, like me, you’re drawn to those Orientals scents – exotic and mysterious. Then there’s Fresh and Clean – invigorating and dynamic. Citrus makes me think summer and sunny days – fresh squeezed and sharp. Woody – a power scent – mossy with shades of romantic.

Keep in mind this is not a decision to be hurried. You can’t smell a strip of scented paper and decide it’s the one for you. Or pick one because you fell in love with the packaging. Don’t you adore those pretty bottles? Not to mention the commercials. They’re enough to make you run out on the spot and buy it. Risque, sexy, romantic, bold – perfume commercials definitely invite a reaction.

No. You need to test it out on your skin. Decide on a ‘family’ and start sampling. Note that perfumes have top notes, middle notes, and base notes. Top notes last for the first 5 minutes to half an hour, by then the middle notes of the perfume’s ‘family’ emerge. Finally base notes show themselves. They give the scent weight or holding power. So dab a little on your skin in a couple of different places and wait it out. We all know about pulse points.

Smell equals memory. Our ability to remember a smell is greater than our ability to remember what we’ve seen. Whether it’s your grandmother’s perchance for Chanel No. 5 or her chocolate chip cookies, those scents pull you in, bring back memories. Memories are how we pick the right family fragrance, choose what attracts us. So why not choose a perfume to help create memories.

A woman’s perfume tells more about her than her handwriting. Christian Dior

So how about it? Do you wear perfume? What’s your signature fragrance? Or do you prefer to go sans scent? How about a favorite memory centered around smell? What scents attract you?